Bonds of the Past, Present and Future
by the original esca chick
Summary: It takes place 17 yrs after Hitomi's visit to Gaea. Where is everyone now? Who's doing what, who's with who etc. Not you're typical continuation fic. Note:this is NOT a VH fic. Ch 11 is up FINALLY! sorry for the long wait
1. Ch 1:Past to Present

Bonds of the Past, Present and Future

A/N: **I do not own Escaflowne**. Though I wish I did  This isn't you're typical continuation fic. Well, I haven't come across one quite like this. The main part of the story takes place about 17 years after the series. Yes, I know, it's a long time.

Chapter One: Past to Present

Strong hands caressed a gentle face. Emerald eyes fluttered flirtatiously as they gazed upon the angelic face. Her heart raced as her angel pulled her into a tight embrace. She didn't want that moment to end. She had waited too long to feel his warm arms wrapped around her small frame.

She snaked her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. She regretted not tasting his sweet lips when they last parted. This time she vowed to take every chance she got. _No more regrets_, she told herself.

"Hitomi…" he moaned. "Are you sure?"

"Van," She gazed up into his warm brown eyes. "I'm certain." She answered with a smile.

"What if you're called back to the Mystic Moon? What if-"

"I don't care Van. I don't want to have any more regrets. I've waited a year just for this moment…just to see you, to be with you. I don't want anymore…I love-" He pulled her close and ravished her lips with a passionate kiss. He knew how she had felt. He understood her completely. He didn't any more regrets either.

* * *

Hitomi rushed down the hallway in a hurry, adjusting her blouse as she walked. She had over slept and was running the risk of being late. She came to a stop in front of a closed door. She knocked hard a few times before yelling, "Hikari! You're going to be late!"

Beneath the mound of pillows and blankets, emerald eyes fluttered open. "Wha…?" the sleepy teen mumbled.

"Get up Hikari!" her mother yelled once more.

She muttered a few curses as she pushed back her bed sheets. Her eyes caught a quick glance at her bedside clock. In large red numbers it read seven am. "Oh shit!" she yelled. Quickly she jumped out of bed and rushed around the mess of a bedroom. She picked through the piles of clothes searching desperately for her high school uniform.

Hikari hurriedly slipped on the black pleated skirt and threw on the white dress shirt. She stopped and tapped her foot. "Where the hell is it?" She wondered before diving into pile of clothes. "Ah-Ha!" She exclaimed before quickly putting on and buttoning up the gray vest.

"Hikari!" Her mother called before opening the bedroom door. "Hurry up! I still have to get Ayumi and Taiki to school."

"Can't Seiya take them?" Hikari asked in a sour tone.

Hitomi sighed and rubbed her temple. She could feel a headache coming on. "He's already at work, you know that."

"Their his kids." She hissed. "He should start taking some responsibility." Hikari fussed with her black necktie, mumbling a few curses randomly.

"Hikari-"

"Gotta go!" she rushed past her mother and headed down the stairs.

"Hikari!"

"See ya later mom!" Hikari yelled from the front door, black schoolbag in hand.

Hitomi shook her head. _Was I that much of a pest when I was in high school?_ She wondered before looking at her watch. "Shit…" she breathed. "Ayumi! Taiki!" she called as she made her way down the hallway.

* * *

Hikari ran up the front steps of the three-story school. She didn't bother going to her locker; she had no time. _One more late and I get detention_, she reminded herself as she ran down the hallway.

She let out a sigh of relief as she entered her classroom with a minute or two to spare. She made her way over towards her desk and took a seat, breathing heavily. "Don't you have one of those marvelous things called an alarm clock?" Her friend Anzu asked, turning her head over her shoulder to face Hikari.

"Yea, yea…I hit the snooze button a few too many times this morning." She reached into her bag and pulled out her compact hairbrush and quickly ran it through her short ebony locks of hair.

"Snooze buttons are evil…" Anzu said in a low mumbled.

Hikari rolled her eyes and put the brush away. "You think everything is evil, Anzu." She pointed out with a laugh. Anzu narrowed her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

"Alright class! Settle down!" Their teacher shouted over the conversing students. "Kanzaki, it's good to see you're on time." Hikari narrowed her eyes at he teacher

"I was only late three times…" she grumbled.

"Yes, all in the same week." Their teacher pointed out as she adjusted her glasses.

Hikari raised her brows. How the hell did she hear me!

"Now class, open your textbooks to page 128…"

* * *

"Ah…TGIF!" Anzu exclaimed as she and Hikari descended the front steps of their school.

"Yes…woot…it's Friday…" Hikari added, unenthusiastically.

"Why so glum?"

Hikari sighed heavily. "Seiya doesn't work on weekends."

"So…?" Anzu looked at her friend waiting for some sort of an explanation.

"You're such an idiot…"

Anzu's deep brown eyes narrowed into a deadly glare. "That was so uncalled for! I'm sorry I can't read your freaking mind! Geez…evil…"

"You know how much I despise him."

"Why is that exactly?" Hikari rolled her eyes; _She must have been dropped on her head as a baby…_

"Cuz…he tries to be my dad. He isn't and never will be. He just really pisses me off."

"Oh…"

"Yea…" The two walked in silence for a block until Anzu came up with an idea.

"Come with us to Shibuya tomorrow!"

"What?" The sudden suggestion had caught her by surprise.

"Tika, Daisuke, Mai, Motoki, Kita and myself are going to hang out at Shibuya tomorrow. I know you're exactly good friends with them but it'll be fun."

"What about Setsuna? She not going?" Hikari inquired.

"Nah…she and her _other_ friends are going to the Harajuku district. They're such posers."

"Posers?"

"Yea, they think they're all hardcore with the whole Harajuku trend. It's pathetic really." Hikari suppressed a chuckle.

"Oh Anzu…" She wrapped her arm around her friend's neck, pulled her into a headlock.

"Hey! What the hair! If it gets tangled I'm swear to god I'll-!" Hikari laughed and watched Anzu squirm. "Hi-ka-ri-!" she released her friend, still laughing.

"I gotta go."

"So soon?" Anzu asked, inspecting her 'perfect' long locks of hair.

"Yea, I have to pick up Taiki and Ayumi soon."

"How old are they now?" Anzu wondered. "I haven't seen them in ages."

"Taiki is turning nine next month and Ayumi is five."

"Wow…time flies." Hikari smiled slightly and nodded.

"Yea…well see ya tomorrow!"

The house was empty as usual when Hikari arrived home. She dropped her bag by the door and let out a sigh. She had made it through another day at the hellhole she called school. _I miss middle school…we had less homework and classes were easier_, she thought as she made her way up the stairs to her bedroom, her sanctuary. All four walls were covered from floor to ceiling with photos and other memorabilia.

She jumped over the piles of clothes and let her body collapse onto her bed. She grabbed her pillow and hugged it close. Her eyes drifted to a cluster of pictures by bedside. A smile pulled at her lips. They may be only half siblings, but she loved them nonetheless like they were full siblings.

As Hikari laid there and reminisced, she lost track of time. Her eyes widened at the sound of her watch beeping, indicating that a new hour had begun. "Crap!" she shouted and jumped out of bed quickly. _Damnit!_ She scolded herself as she ran out of her room and dashed out the front door, still dressed in her school uniform.

She was grateful though that her siblings' school was just a couple of blocks away. She had made it just in the nick of time. As the final bell rang, hundreds of students piled out of their classrooms and ran in to the waiting arms of their parents.

"Kari-chan!" Ayumi squealed in delight.

Hikari smiled the five-year-old girl and scooped her up in her arms. "Get into any trouble today?" she teased.

"Nope! I'm a good girl!"

"That's not what I heard." Hikari, grinning, proceeded to tickle her sister who laughed hysterically.

"No! Stop!" She pleaded between laughs.

"Are you two done?" Taiki asked with a huff. The nine-year-old stood with his arms crossed, not impressed.

Hikari put Ayumi down and let her smile fade. "Alright, let's go." Ayumi reached up and grabbed Hikari's hand.

"Carry me?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. "Purty pleazzzzz?"

"We only live a couple of blocks away!" Ayumi continued with her pleading look, not giving up so easily. Hikari sighed in defeat and knelt down. "Fine…hop on my back."

* * *

"How long until the kids get home?" Hitomi smiled seductively as she wrapped her arms around her lover's neck. "Well?" he asked.

"Shhhh…." Before he could utter a word she pressed her lips against his. He deepened the kiss and ran his fingers through her short honey brown hair. It seemed so long since they had both had a moment of peace and quiet between them.

"EWWW!" Taiki exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen. Hitomi backed away slowly, her eyebrows knitting together. _So much for that…_

"What Tai-chan?" Ayumi asked, running into the kitchen.

"Mommy and Daddy were kissing!" he answered, proceeding to make gagging like noises. Hitomi suppressed a laugh and shoed the two out of the kitchen, telling them to get started on their homework.

_Thank god I missed that…_Hikari thought as she took her shoes off by the front door.

"Hikari, thank you for picking up the kids." Seiya commented as Hikari walked past the kitchen on her way upstairs.

"Whatever." She mumbled. "Mom I'm going to Shibuya tomorrow."

"Alright."

Seiya let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. "I don't know how to get through to her."

Hitomi shook her head slightly. "She's just like him…" she mumbled.

"Like who?" Seiya inquired.

"No one." She smiled and pulled her husband of ten years close. "Now, where did we leave off?"

* * *

A/N: Well, what did ya think? I'm trying to develop Hikari's character more. Normally I would have jumped into the main plot or at least hinted towards it by now, lol! But I'm trying to stop doing that. So please review. Feedback is always appreciated. Whether it's good or bad.

A/N #2: thank you ice73 for pointing out the mistakes. I've fixed them up. stupid dyslexic fingers...lol!


	2. Ch 2:Teens Will Be Teens

A/N: Thank you ice73 for reviewing and pointing out those errors. Hope the rest of you reading enjoyed the first chapter. If you want to be put on a mailing list, just tell me or e-mail me. Then when I update I'll send you an e-mail notifying you.

* * *

Chapter Two: Teens Will Be Teens

The night passed quickly and soon the sun was rising above the horizon, marking the start of a new day. Hikari awoke feeling refreshed, knowing she wouldn't be trapped at home with the kids and him. After crawling out of her bed, she walked to the window and opened it, taking in a long deep breath of fresh air.

She pulled open a few of her dresser drawers looking for the perfect outfit to wear. She was sensible and knew to dress for the weather. The sun would be beating its hot rays down all day long. The morning air was already beginning to feel humid. Hikari decided to go with loose clothes with plenty of ventilation. She went with a short, black pleated skirt and a simple white tank top.

She made her way to the kitchen to grab something quick to eat. She opened a few cupboards before settling on a cereal bar.

"Oh Hikari, you're up already." Her mother said, startled as she entered the small kitchen. "Will you be home for dinner?" Hikari shrugged and made her way to the front door. "Call if you're going to stay out late!" Hikari didn't respond. She did hear her mother, however in the past few years their once close relationship began to drift apart. Her mother blamed it on hormones while Hikari pointed the finger at her stepfather, Seiya.

* * *

Hikari met up with Anzu, Daisuke and Kita at the subway station. When the train arrived they, along with the crowds of other commuters, pushed their way onto the train and hoped to get a place to sit. 

"So how are the pests?" Anzu asked Hikari, laughing slightly as they waited outside the shopping center for their other friends to show up.

"Seiya is alright I guess…I don't really care about him…"

Anzu raised a brow, "I was talking about Taiki and Ayumi."

"Oh, well they're good." Hikari stated and began to fuss with hr skirt, straightening it out. "Taiki is going through the cootie phase again. Ayumi, well, she's got an early start in the boy crazy phase." She smiled and held back a laugh.

"Ah…that brings me back…" a familiar voice chirped in. Hikari threw her head over her shoulder. Her eyes lit up with delight.

"I thought you weren't coming Aki." Daisuke said as the tall teen approached the group. Hikari could feel her cheeks begin to burn. _He's perfect…_she thought as she gazed at him.

"I heard there were some cute girls were going to be here." He replied with a wink and took a quick glance at Hikari.

Her cheeks burned a bright red. _I knew I should have grabbed my lip-gloss! But noooo! I had sleep in a bit_! She gave herself a mental kick as her gaze drifted to Aki. Her eyes followed his every move, from his hand running through his perfectly dyed locks of hair to leaning his nicely built body against the wall where they stood.

Anzu leaned over towards Hikari, grinning deviously. "Looks like your weekend is really picking up." She whispered.

"Oh god yes." Hikari replied, unable to remove her gaze from Aki.

* * *

As the day progressed, Hikari spent most of it flirting with Aki. She had been chasing him for the past few years, since elementary school at least. She wasn't the only one either. Little did she know, Aki had been eying her for some time as well. There was a mysterious aura about her that drew him in. 

Anzu let out a yawn and took a quick glance at her watch. Her eyes widened. She hadn't realized it had gotten so late. "You guys!" she shouted, stopping the conversation. "It's nine!"

_Oh shit…_ Hikari thought and felt her face pale a bit. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" she chanted as she searched desperately through her small, black handbag.

"What's wrong?" Aki asked, placing a calmed hand on her shoulder.

"I was supposed to call…where is it?" her hands shook; she knew she was going to get an earful from her mother. "If I was going to be late…AH-HA!" She pulled the compact cellular phone and called home. "Hi mom-" She squinted her eyes and held the phone away from her ear. Her mother, as she had expected, wasn't exactly pleased with her. "I'm sorry! I lost track of-" she was cut off by her mother's scolding and yelling. "Mom!-Please!-I didn't-" she sighed heavily. "But-!" she grumbled a curse under her breath. "Fine…I said fine! Okay…bye." She removed the phone from her ear and turned it off slowly.

Trying to lighten the mood, Mai said, "That sounded interesting." Her hand remaining intertwined with Daisuke's.

"I gotta go…" Hikari grumbled. "My mom's picking me up at the arcade."

"That's such a shame." Anzu said, trying to somewhat sympathetic.

"Yea…well, see ya on Monday…"With that said, Hikari left the group of friends.

When she was out of sight, Anzu elbowed Aki in the side. "You know, someone should go wait with her." She elbowed him in the side again.

"What?" he asked slightly confused.

"Go! Wait with her!" she scolded him.

* * *

_Great…just fucking great…_Hikari thought with a sour look on her face. _Figures. The entire was going great. Then the shit hit the fan…_

"Hey, turn the frown upside down." Her body jumped at he sound of Aki's voice.

She looked at him, almost lost for words. "What are you-?"

He smiled a gentle smile at her. "I figured you'd be waiting for a while. So I thought I'd keep you company." Hikari could feel her cheeks blush. She had dreamed of moments like this where the two of them were alone. No pressure to make the first move, no friends getting in the way. Just the two of them.

"th-thanks…" she managed. "But you don't have to stay…"

"It's no problem. I want to be here…with you." He moved closer to Hikari and took her hand in his. She could feel her heart begin to race at his touch. His other arm reached behind her back and drew her near. This was _the_ moment she had been waiting for so long.

Aki lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on her tender lips. Time seemed to slow to a complete stop. Everything going through her mind ceased.

The sound of a honking car horn broke the blissful moment. Hikari bit her lips and sighed heavily. "I gotta go…" she said regretfully.

"I'll see you at school then." He pulled her into a short embrace. Neither wanted to let go.

Hikari made her way over to the sleek, black car. She opened the door and in an instant her mood went from bad to worse. She sat down in the passenger's seat with a groan and crossed her arms. "Where's my mother?" she asked in a bitter tone.

"She had to get Ayumi and Taiki ready for bed." Seiya answered, trying to ignore her bitterness.

"And you couldn't? They're _your_ kids." She hissed, her eyes narrowed and looking out the window at the passing buildings.

"Hikari…" Seiya began, "Why can't we just get a long?"

Hikari held back a laugh. She could think of a million reasons why they could never get along. "Because you're you." She hesitated for a moment to collect her thoughts. "You'll never be my dad so quit trying to be!" Her words pierced like a knife.

* * *

Upon their arrival home, Hikari stormed past her mother, heading straight to her room. She slammed the door behind her, letting everyone in the house know her sour mood. 

"Didn't go well?" Hitomi asked.

Seiya rubbed his temples and looked at his wife. "Perhaps you should talk to her. Find her father and let him deal with her!" Hitomi opened her mouth to speak but Seiya had continued speaking. "I'm tired of trying…where is he any ways?"

"Where is who?" she inquired.

"Hikari's father. The one that got you pregnant when you were-"

"It's complicated." She interrupted. She took a deep breath and paced for a moment. "I had searched for him for years. But after so long…" Her fingers found her way to the pink pendant hanging from her necklace. "I gave up looking long ago. If I could, I would take Hikari to meet him in a heart beat."

"Does he know he has a daughter?" Hitomi looked away and shook her head. "What? You-!"

"We were separated." She cut in before he could utter another word. "Neither of us had control over it." She turned away from Seiya and looked up the stairs. "I'm going to talk to her."

"Hitomi-"

* * *

She stood outside the poster-covered door and knocked hesitantly. "Go away!" Hikari yelled. Hitomi took a deep, calming breath and entered the room any ways. "I said go away!" Hikari yelled from her spot on the bed, still unmade. 

"Hikari." She paused to collect her thoughts. "I know you want to meet your real dad but, it's just not possible. I would love for you to meet him but I can't find him." Hikari remained silent.

Hitomi let out a sigh and took a seat on her daughter's bed. She unclasped her necklace and held it in her hand. "This was your great-grandmother's. She gave it to me and I gave it to your father. I found twelve years ago."

"So?"

"He had it for many years…besides you, this is the only thing I have that belonged to him." She turned to face her daughter and smiled sadly. "I think it's time for you to have it." Hikari sat upright and accepted the necklace. "It's brought me good luck in the past. It's what actually caused me to meet your father in the first place."


	3. Ch 3:So Long

A/N: Thank you ann, Shizuka-naTenchi, industrial, azn-anime-freak11, ice73 and SAGA123 for the reviews. They're very much appreciated 

Shizuka-naTenchi: all your questioned will be answered in the futre chaps. I really want to answer them but it would spoil everything :)

ice73: thanx for pointing out that mistake. I'll have to go fix it soon and perhaps re-read wheat I write before I update, lol!

Chapter Three: So Long

The rest of the weekend passed slowly. Hikari had lost all phone and computer privileges for not just the weekend, but also the entire week to come. She was relieved when Monday morning rolled around. Even though it meant she had to suffer through seven hours of teachers from hell, it also meant contact with the outside world.

She arrived early for school, half an hour to be exact. Her early arrival surprised her homeroom teacher, who nearly jumped out of her skin when she entered the classroom. "This is certainly a surprise." Miss Watase said, holding a hand over her racing heart. "Or perhaps I am just dreaming…" she added quietly.

"Nope. I remembered to set my clock last night." Hikari answered as she flipped through the magazine she was reading. It wasn't long until other students began to arrive. Like their teacher, most students arriving were surprised to see Hikari early. She had gained a reputation for being late for class or showing up just seconds before the bell.

Anzu blinked a few times. Was she seeing things? "Has hell frozen over?" she looked at the clock and scratched her head, still confused. She made her way over to her friend, questioning her sanity. She poked Hikari in the arm a few times. She had to make sure her friend was really there.

"What the hell Anzu?" Hikari asked, raising a bow.

"Wow…you're actually here! Weird…" Anzu sat down in her seat, eyes wide in shock and amazement. "So-why-how-?" she struggled to speak, her thoughts jumbled.

"I'm grounded." Hikari answered, still flipping through her magazine. "I left early to avoid getting stuck with the kids and to avoid my mom."

"Ah….I see…" Anzu replied, still in a bit of shock.

* * *

When the last bell of the day rang, crowds of students eagerly made their way out of the their classrooms. Hikari wasn't one of them. What did she have to look forward to? _A night of me in my room…alone…_ she answered herself. 

"Hikari!" Aki's voice rang out over the sounds of conversing students. Both Hikari and Anzu looked over their shoulders to see Aki run up to them. He wrapped his arm playfully around Hikari's shoulders, causing her to blush slightly. "So what's the damage?" he asked.

"No phone, no computer, and no hanging out for a week."

"Wow, that's a little harsh…especially for not calling home." Hikari suppressed a laugh and tried to hide the grin tugging at her lips.

"Well, it's mostly because of how I acted yesterday. I said some things I shouldn't have said." She added, twiddling her thumbs.

"Like what?" Anzu inquired.

"Well I told Seiya he could go to hell and kiss my…fucking ass."

"Wow…" was all Aki could manage. "Isn't he your dad?"

"Step-father." Hikari corrected.

* * *

The moment Hikari arrived home, she went straight upstairs to her bedroom. She kicked a pile of clothes towards her closed door as she made her way over to the stereo on top of her dresser. She turned the volume up loud enough to drown out everything but her thoughts. 

She collapsed onto her half made bed. She closed her eyes and let her body relax. The angry music coming from the radio seemed to ease her raging mind. It didn't take long for the music to ease her into a peaceful, deep sleep.

About two hours later, the blissful sleep came to a screeching halt. Her mother pounded her fist on Hikari's bedroom door. "Hikari!" she yelled. Her eyes shot open and her body jolted upright. She wiped her head around and looked at her clock. She bit her lip and groaned. _Shit…_

The door opened only half way; the piles of dirty clothes prevent Hitomi from opening it fully. "Hikari!" she yelled, fire burning in her eyes. "Downstairs now!" she ordered and pointed with her index finger to the stairs. Hikari stood up sluggishly and hung her head low. She had a relatively good idea of what she was about to hear.

She descended the stairs slowly. She wasn't exactly in a rush to be scolded and yelled at. She lifted her head as she reached the main floor. _Great_, she thought, _he's here too_. She shot Seiya a sour look and walked passed him to the living room. Hitomi inhaled deeply to calm herself before she would begin her talk with her daughter. Seiya placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him before entering the small living room.

Hikari sat slouched back on the black leather loveseat. Her eyes remained low as she waited for the yell-fest to begin. "Hikari, why didn't you pick up Taiki and Ayumi?" Her mother began, trying to remain calm. Hikari shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? I come home from work and the house is empty!"

"Why can't your wonderful husband pick up HIS kids, huh!" Hikari retaliated. "They're not mine! They're his! Why do I have to be responsible for them all the time? I'm sixteen years old!" She jumped to her feet, raging pulsing through her veins. "I can't hang out with my friends whenever I want cause I have to watch my siblings! I'm missing out on so much! You guys never consider how I feel!" She glared in Seiya's direction. "Especially you." She added.

"Hikari-" Her mother began but was cut off abruptly.

"I don't care what you have to say! I'm outta here!" With that said, Hikari stormed out of the house. From there she ran, not thinking about where she was going. She had to get away from it all. She did regret not grabbing a change of clothes as she was still dressed in her school uniform.

She ran for a good ten minutes. It shocked her that she was able to go for so long. Her legs finally gave way as she reached a small park. She fell to her knees and gasped for air. A sharp pain ran up her back and through her shoulders. She bit her lips to stop herself from crying out in pain.

"Hikari?" a familiar voice spoke. She turned her head and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, just in case a few tears had managed to fall from her eyes. "What happened?" Anzu asked and rushed to her friend's side. She placed a gentle hand on Hikari's back for comfort.

Hikari took a deep breath and sat down on the lush green grass. "I had a fight with my parents again." She answered, staring at the ground before her. "I couldn't take it…I just…I…" she let out a frustrated sigh and pulled at her hair.

"It's okay," Anzu assured. "But shouldn't you be home?"

"I'm not going back!" Hikari snapped back quickly. "Not until they realizes that I have a life too! My schedule doesn't revolve around taking care their kids." She squinted her eyes as the pain in her back returned.

"Hikari…" Anzu began, unsure of what to say. She couldn't relate to her friend as much as she wished she could. She grew up with an older brother who she rarely saw. _But times have changed_, she told herself. "Maybe you should try talking to your parents rationally."

"No." Hikari said quickly. "I've had enough of Seiya. I hated it when he started to date my mom. I wish she never met him! Things were fine. Life was great." She leaned back and stared up at the sky. The sun shone through the cluster of clouds as it slowly moved across the sky. Hikari sighed and laid back completely. "All I really want is to know who my dad is…my real dad. My mom never talks about him. She never even told me his name. I only know he had black hair."

Anzu raised a brow. "How do you know that? You just said your mom never talked about him." Hikari let out a small chuckle.

"My mom have brownish hair and I have black. It's not rocket science." She found herself still giggling at her friend's comment. "But I want to know more. I want to actually meet him so I can ask why he didn't stick around when my mom was pregnant. I mean the nerve! She was only sixteen years old! She was our age." She rose to her feet, anger and rage beginning to surge through her veins yet again. "If he was as great as my mom said he was, then why did he leave her?" She clenched his fists into balls in an attempt to calm her rage.

Anzu stood up with a worried look on her face. She wanted to help her friend more than anything. "Hikari, I wish I had the answers, I really do. You're my best friend…you-" she stopped speaking as a faint pink glow began to emit from her friend's necklace. "Umm…. Hikari…. your necklace…." She said pointing at the pink pendant.

Hikari looked down and held the gem in her fingertips. "What the…" moments later a bright column of light surrounded her. She squinted her eyes and tried to move but as she soon realized, her body became paralyzed.

"Hikari!" her friend yelled. She shielded her eyes from the intense light. When it had faded she looked to where her friend once stood. Nothing was left. Her friend was gone. "Hikari…" her voice managed to utter.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took long. I was having a bit of a writer's block. Well, I knew what I wanted; I just couldn't get it into words! lol! Well, hope you're enjoying this fic so far. I'm really excited about writing the next few chapters. 

Reviews are always welcome :D


	4. Ch 4:Help

A/N: Thank you ice73 for pointing out the errors. At least I'm not as bad as I use to be, lol! Back in the day I was pretty bad, hehehe coughs ahem, and thank you Shizuka-naTenshi. I would love to answer your questions but I can't. I really wanna but, I mist resist! lol! Well, sit back and enjoy the chap!

Chapter 4: Help

Hikari's eyes slowly fluttered open as she regained consciousness. _What happened?_ She asked herself after sitting upright. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes to clear his slightly blurred vision. Her eyes widened as she took in her surroundings. She found herself sitting in a vast field of some cop, which she could only guess was wheat.

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. How did I end up here? She wondered. She glanced around once more and noticed something in the distance. She rose to her feet to get a better view. It looked to be a town or city of some sort. She took a few steps in its direction and looked in awe.

"Hey You!" A voice shouted. "Get outta me field!" She turned her head quickly and saw an older man with a pitchfork in hand, running towards her. She didn't think twice about running away.

* * *

Marla sat at her wooden vanity gazing at her reflection. She smiled sweetly and hummed a cheerful tune as she brushed her long locks of golden blonde hair, a feature she had most certainly received from her mother. She was almost seventeen and still unwed much to the surprise of most nobles within her country. Most girls her age were at least promised to another. 

Times had changed and her mother was eager to make changes. She had married her betrothed as part of her duty to her country and father. She couldn't very well do the same to her own children. The man she truly loved, and still did, was out there but no longer in her reach.

Her bedroom door opened and closed quickly. She threw her head of her shoulder to see whom it was. Her violet eyes narrowed as they came to see her twin. "What the hell Cadel?" she shouted. "How many time do I have to kick you out!"

Her brother rushed over to her with a serious look on his face. "Keep it down." He said in a low whisper. Marla crossed her arms and observed his unusual attire.

"Why are you dressed like a commoner?" She asked, noting the lack of colour in his attire. He stood wearing a simple outfit of brown leather pants, a cotton blouse and a heavy leather jacket.

"I'm going out." He answered and made his way over to her balcony. She stood up and hurried to catch up. The layers of petticoats under her light blue gown made it somewhat difficult however.

"So you came to my room?" She raised a brow.

Cadel leaned over the stone rail and grinned when his deep green eyes landed on the small wooden boat sitting in the cannel below. "Well you see little sister-"

"By a few moments!" she added quickly. Cadel smiled and sat on the rail.

"Mother has posted extra guards around my living quarters so I needed a different way out." With that said, he slowly began to climb down the stonewall of the Asturian castle.

Marla leaned over the edge and watched him descend to the waiting boat. "Just remember, whatever whore you get pregnant will be hire to the throne!"

Cadel looked up from the boat and grinned. "That's why I always pull out!" he shouted back with a wink. Marla rolled her eyes and turned on her heel.

"Men…" she huffed and went back inside.

* * *

Hikari came to a stop once she had crossed a stone bridge leading into the city. She leaned against a stone pillar and tried to catch her breath. She hadn't run like that since she was in elementary school. Her mother had tried to get her to tryout of for her school's track team. Hikari did make the team much to her mother's delight. Once she entered middle school, things became more competitive. Also she didn't care for pleasing her mother anymore, she was too occupied with taking care of Ayumi. 

She inhaled deeply and began to observe her surroundings. She felt as if she had walked into a storybook set in the middle ages. Small cramped homes lined the streets; A few wooden stands were set up selling a variety of goods; women and men walked the cobblestone streets in their drab attire, signifying they weren't as well off. Hikari could feel her jaw drop at the sight. It fell even further when her eyes came across a sort of animal being.

A hand came to rest of her shoulder, nearly causing her to jump out of her own skin. "So, how much fer ya?" the man slurred. She turned of her heel and was immediately disgusted at the sight. He was an older man, probably in his forties she guessed. His teeth were stained yellow and his thin hair looked like a ball of grease.

"W-what?" She managed to ask.

"Wha'd ya mean? Yu're'a whore! So how much fer yur services?" She nearly gagged at the smell of his foul breath.

"I'm not a prostitute!" She yelled and backed away. She bumped into another man who placed both his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Really, eh?" he said while his hand traveled to her rear and cupped it. "You have us certainly fooled." Her eyes widened in fear as she noticed a few men began to make a circle around her. Her heart raced as she thought of the worst-case scenario, a gang bag. The man who was already beginning to grope her leaned his head over her shoulder to lick her cheek. His tongue never even got the chance to leave his mouth.

"Hey!" a younger male's voice called out. The men all turned their heads to see the male youth with his arms crossed.

"We found'er first!" one yelled.

"She belongs to me." He said, making his way over to Hikari. He grabbed her tightly by the wrist and pulled her free from the old man's grasp. When their eyes met, he gave her a wink. "isn't that right?" He asked Hikari. She nodded quickly and mumbled a yes. "Now why don't you bugger off and find yourselves a cheap whore. She's too expensive for you." The men all looked at each other, obviously not impressed.

"Boy! If ya know what's good fer ya, yu'll hand'er over." One warned as he crackled his knuckles. The youth grinned and unsheathed his sword.

"Oh really?" He challenged. The men stepped back. "That's what I thought. Now get lost!" When they were out of sight, he sheathed his sword and turned his attention to the beauty he had saved.

"Th-thank you." Hikari stuttered, her nerves still on edge from what had just happened,

"It's no problem. That's some interesting attire you've got there." He stated as he took notice of her rather short skirt. "Now what's a lovely woman like yourself doing in a place like this?" He asked.

"Um, well, I don't know…I was running then I ended up here…"

He smiled at her shyness and put an arm around her shoulders. "C'mon, let's get out of here." He said as he led the way to a less run down part of the city. He brought into a small tavern, one he frequented often. He took his usual table, located at the back away from the hustle and bustle. He pulled out a chair for Hikari and seated himself across the small wooden table from her. "So what might your name be?" He asked.

"Oh, um, Hikari." She answered, sitting stiffly in her seat.

"The name is Cadel." He said with a grin. "So Hikari eh? That's an unusual name. Whereabouts are you from?"

"Tokyo." She replied. Cadel raised a brow.

"To-kyo?" He repeated. "Where is that?"

Her eyes widened. How could he not have heard of Tokyo? Everyone on earth knew of the heavily populated city. "Uh, Japan…" _maybe this is all one really weird dream….or maybe it's like a coma…yea…I probably got hit by lightening and now my body is laying in a hospital bed while I'm dreaming away this weird place.

* * *

_

Hitomi sighed heavily and flinched at the sound of the door slamming shut. What had happened to their once close bond? She could only wonder how different her life could have been if she had stayed on Gaea all those years ago. She did miss it and had wished many times that she hadn't been torn away from the world she was prepared to call home.

She eventually accepted her fate and moved on. She realized that holding onto the past wouldn't help her move forward in her life. She knew Van wouldn't want her to dwell on the past either. "Hitomi…" Seiya said, breaking the awful silence. "Should I-"

"Watch Taiki and Ayumi." She said interrupting him. "I'll go look for her. She couldn't have gotten far." He looked down at his wife with eyes full of concern. His mouth open to speak but no words would come out. "It's all right Seiya. She'll be fine and I'll be fine." She smiled gently at him and gave him a reassuring look before heading out the front door.

She walked around a few blocks before coming across a nearby park. Standing out in the small grassy field was Anzu, Hikari's closest friend. She walked over to her, hoping that perhaps she had come across Hikari. "Anzu!" She called.

Anzu didn't move, she was frozen in her place. What had just happened? She had asked herself. Her deep brown eyes stayed transfixed on the ground before her. "Anzu?" Hitomi said, placing a gentle hand on the teen's shoulder. "Have you seen Hikari?"

"She was here…standing right here…" she managed to say, pointing at the ground. "Then she was gone…"

Hitomi's eyes widened. "What happened Anzu?" She asked in a more serious tone and turned the teen to face her. "What happened to Hikari?"

"There was a bright light…a column…a pillar or bright light…it was all around her. Then she was gone!" She ran a hand through her hair, still in shock. "Oh my god!" She looked up at Hitomi with wide eyes. "I think she was abducted by aliens! Oh my god!" Hitomi remained silent. _A pillar of light…_Her eyes drifted skyward. She never thought it would happen. She wanted to at least tell Hikari about Gaea first, to prepare her if it would ever happen.

"It's okay Anzu, Hikari will be fine…" She pulled the girl into a light embrace to calm her. "She wasn't abducted by aliens…"


	5. Ch 5:Gaea

A/N: sorry it took so long to post! I had a bit of writer's block then I got really distracted with college. So here it is, chapter 5. I have some bad news however. This will be the last chapter I am posting for this fic her on fanfiction. Why? Due to the lack of feedback. I am going to finish the fic. I'm just not going to post it here. If you still wish to read it, you can find it at jade-lil-pixie. deviant. com

Chapter 5: Gaea

Cadel took a sip of his drink and placed it on the tray held by the waitress who stood by. When she had left, he turned his attention back to Hikari, who had barely touched her own drink. "So how did you end up here in Palas?" He asked, leaning onto the table with both arms.

Hikari closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. It still wasn't making much sense but she would recount the events any ways. "I was at the park with my friend Anzu. I had just had a fight with my mom so I was venting a bit. Then there was this bright light. I think I passed out or something. When I woke up, I was being chased out of a field by some guy with a pitchfork." Cadel's head perked up.

"A bright light you say?"

"Yea…" her brows knitted together as she tried to remember more details. "It completely surrounded me."

Cadel went deep into thought. Her story sounded familiar. He had heard a similar story or event once from his father. His deep green eyes glanced at Hikari. _Could she be?_ He wondered. "C'mon, I want to show you something." He said as he rose from his seat. Hikari's mouth opened but before she could utter a word Cadel had grabbed her by the wrist and lead her out of the tavern through the back door.

"What are you-"

"Is that your home?" he asked, gesturing up at the sky.

Hikari followed his gaze. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her mouth hung open. It just couldn't be possible. "No way…" was all she could muster. She ran a hand through her ebony locks of hair in complete and total disbelief. "Earth…"

"So you are from the Mystic Moon then?" her gaze drifted to the ground and her eyes were wide in shock. She could feel the blood draining from her face and a slight dizziness began to take over her. Cadel noticed her ill state quickly and held her by the shoulders. "Just take a deep breath." He said to her calmly.

"I…it…how?" She brought a hand to her head and shook it in disbelief.

"I might know someone who could help you." He suggested. He knew his father would more than willingly help. He was probably the most intelligent man he had ever come across. Hikari looked up at Cadel with hopeful eyes. "Now c'mon, I'll take you to meet my father. If there's anyone on Gaea-"

"Gaea?" Hikari interrupted.

"Gaea is this world we're on. Now as I was saying, if there's anyone who could help you it would be him. He's one of the most intellectual people in the world."

* * *

Hitomi walked home slowly. There were so many thoughts and questions running through her mind. How would she explain her daughter's disappearance without creating any sort of media craze? _Yes, my daughter has been transported to another planet called Gaea_, she thought sarcastically.

By the time she had reached her home, the sun had already set. Ayumi would be fast asleep and dreaming of her fantasy world while Taiki would be "sleeping". Hitomi knew very well he never went to sleep right away. He would stay up for at least an hour more reading his comics.

"Did you find her?" Seiya asked the moment his wife entered their home.

Hitomi remained silent, still trying to collect her thoughts. "Yes." She lied.

"Great, where is she now?" Hitomi turned away and walked into the living room to sit down. "Is she alright?" Seiya asked as he sat down beside her.

"She's gone to find her father. I don't imagine she'll be back anytime soon…." Seiya's brows knitted together.

"I thought you didn't know where he lived."

"I do know…" She began, her eyes remaining on her lap. "It's just difficult to find him and when you do, it's hard to leave." He placed a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Do you think she'll come back?"

"I really don't know…She's in the same position I was in seventeen years ago. It will be hard for her to let go and leave. You never know when you'll get that opportunity again." She took a deep breath to help hold back her tears. Part of her had wished she had stayed on Gaea and never left.

* * *

"How did you know that I was from the _Mystic Moon_?" Hikari asked as Cadel walked her along one of the many canals flowing through the city.

"There's a story my mother use to tell me of a girl who came to Gaea. She was a mystic or a seer as some called her. She used her abilities to foresee the future to save all of Gaea during the Destiny War. Apparently she and the King of Fanelia had fallen for each other. It was their love that brought the war to an end."

"And where is she now?" She asked.

"On the Mystic Moon." Cadel answered.

Hikari raised a brow, "I thought she and the King fell in love?"

Cadel shrugged his shoulders. "They did but perhaps she wasn't ready to give up her friends and family." He suggested. He looked down at Hikari, still shocked at the fact that she was one of the moon's inhabitants. Today had most certainly turned out to be his lucky day. However, it seemed his luck had run out. A group of Asturian soldiers formed a line before him, blocking the street completely. "Oh shit."

Hikari looked up at Cadel with worry in her eyes. Was he a criminal of some sort? Was he even going to help her? "What-?"

"Her royal highness, Queen Millerna Sara Aston-Fassa, has summoned you to the throne room. You are to report there immediately." The captain of the guard said while another soldier brought forth a saddled white horse. Cadel rubbed his temples; this wasn't the way he wanted to explain to Hikari about who he really was.

"What is going on?" Hikari demanded.

Cadel ran a hand through his hair and forced a smile. "Well, you see, I'm not really who you think I am-"

"So you are a pimp!" His eyes went wide and he assured her he wasn't.

"No, you see, my official title is Prince Cadel Arthur Aston-Fassa." Hikari's jaw dropped.

"You're a Prince?" Cadel nodded and walked over to his awaiting horse. He mounted the animal with ease and gestured for Hikari to follow. "What? I-" before she could say another word, a guard came up from behind and lifted her into Cadel's arms.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." He assured her.

When they arrived at the castle, Cadel dismounted first and helped Hikari down. "Now was that so bad?" he asked with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Cadel!" a young voice squealed. Before he could even react, a young girl with long curly brown hair jumped into his arms. Hikari couldn't help but giggle at the surprised look on his face. "Mama is bery mad at chu." She said as Cadel managed to pry off the young five year old.

Cadel crouched down to her level and smiled. "I know silly." He said and rubbed her head, purposely messing it up. "Now why don't you go bug Marla? I think she has some knew dresses you can play with." The girl's big violet eyes brightened with excitement and she ran off.

"Who was that?" Hikari asked.

"Oh, just my younger sister Emily. She's a wild little thing, always getting messy or dirty. She's almost a complete opposite of her sisters."

"You have more sisters?" Cadel looked at her confused.

"Yes. There's Marla, Julianne and Emily. Is something wrong with that?"

"No not at all." Hikari replied, still a bit shocked. "It's just, well, not many people have that many kids where I'm from. Most couples only have one or two."

"Now that's unusual here." Cadel laughed as he began to walk down the hallway with Hikari. When they arrived at their destination, two guards opened the doors. Cadel smiled at Hikari and gestured for her to come with him. The large wooden doors closed behind, startling Hikari slightly. "Good afternoon mother." Cadel said in a delighted tone.

Millerna stood up with a stern look on her face. She was not impressed in the least bit with her son. "How many times do I need to lecture you! You may have trained with the Knights of Cali but it does not mean you are invincible! You know I do not mind you going out, as long as you take a guard with you." Cadel rolled his eyes as his mother went on ranting.

"If I went out with one of your guards I wouldn't be able to meet the people, get to understand them!"

Millerna eyes became fixated on the young woman behind her eldest son. "And who is this?" She asked as she approached.

"Oh this is Hi-" Millerna examined the girl, there was something strange about her.

"What is your name?" She asked in a gentle tone.

"Hikari." She said quickly. "Hikari Kanzaki." Millerna stepped back in disbelief.

"Kanzaki?" Her mouth hung open, she could see a resemblance, could she be…? "Do you know a Hitomi Kanzaki?"

Hikari looked at her with confusion and shock. "Yea, she's my mom. How do you know her?"

Millerna looked almost hurt. "Did your mother never tell you about Gaea?" Hikari shook her head no. "Oh…well you have a lot of catching up to do." A smile formed on her lips as she began to lead Hikari out of the throne room. Cadel stood with his mouth hanging open.

"Who is Hitomi? How do you know her?" He asked his mother.

"She's the one who saved Gaea during the war." She replied and turned her attention back to Hikari. "I'll have a room prepared for you and a bath will be drawn. I'm sure you'd like to get cleaned up. Cadel," She looked over her shoulder, "Tell the maids to have a room ready in the east wing for Hikari."


	6. Ch 6:Departure

A/N: I know I said I would never update here but I've calmed dow nadn figure I might as well give another shot. I have been an author here for...almost 5 years. So here it is, chapter 6. Enjoy!

Shizuka-naTenshi: I figured that if Hikari were to land in Fanelia the fic wouldn't last very long, hehe, by putting elsewhere it gives room for other things to happen coughs lol!

Chapter 6: Departure

Hitomi hugged Ayumi tightly before leaving her in the care of her teacher for the day. "Be good." She said with a smile. "I don't want to hear about you giving any of the boys trouble."

Ayumi giggled as her mother began to tickle her sides and stomach. "I'll be good!" She squealed before running to join her fellow classmates.

Hitomi stood for a few moments, watching her daughter play with the other children. It seemed like only yesterday that she was just dropping Hikari off on her first day of school. "Long time no see," Hitomi jumped at the sound of the familiar voice.

She turned around quickly and smiled with delight. "Yukari-chan!" They embraced each other tightly. It had been far too long since they had last seen each other. They did communicate on a weekly basis by phone or other means. "How are the twins? How's the business going? What brings you to Tokyo!"

"It's good to see you too Tomi-chan." Yukari said while wrapping her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Koji and Kenji are being the little devils they are. The business is going well. Amano had to go to America to help set up a few new locations. And I'm here for you." Hitomi raised a brow.

"For me?"

Yukari nodded. "Seiya called me. He's worried about you." Yukari looked at her friend slightly confused when she saw no reaction on her face. "So I hear Hikari went to find her father."

Hitomi remained silent for a moment. "Yes. I gave her the pendant. I didn't think…I didn't think it would…"

"We both knew this day would come eventually. At least she's not ten years old. She can look out for herself."

Hitomi sighed heavily as they walked. "I wanted to tell her about him, about Gaea but…how do you tell your child their father is a king from another planet?" She paused as she reached her home. "Do you want to come in for some tea?" she asked as she fished through her purse looking for her keys.

"Sure! We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

Hikari emerged from the bathing room wearing a soft, white robe. Two handmaidens stood by the large bed awaiting her. Millerna had laid out a few gowns for her to choose from.

"Do any catch yer fancy?" one of the maids asked.

"Um…" Her eyes skimmed over the gowns. Nothing really stood out.

The door swung open, bringing Hikari's attention away from the dresses. "You must be Hikari!" a delightful voice rang out. "I'm Marla and I'm here to rescue you." She shot a grin at the maids who quickly dismissed themselves. "My mother doesn't follow the fashion of today's youth so follow me." Marla linked arms with Hikari and led her out of the guestroom.

"Can't I just wear my own clothes?" Hikari asked, trying to keep up with the girl's quick pace.

"Absurd! They're dirty and from what my brother tells me, a little too revealing." She came to a halt as she reached her living quarters. She opened the large oak doors and walked in. "My closet is just around the corner." Before she closed the doors, she glanced down the hallway quickly. _Good_, she thought.

Hikari was blown away by the sheer size of the closet. It's like the size of my bedroom! "See anything you like?"

"Uh…um…" Marla grinned and grabbed a few outfits. She looked over at Hikari and tried to find her best features.

"I want to put you in green…but for some reason I have an urge to put you in red…" She browsed through some more gowns. "Okay!" She marched out of her closet with her arms full of outfit choices she had made. She laid them out on the bed for Hikari to see.

Cautiously Hikari approached. The choices were of a greater variety. There were a few that looked absolutely ridiculous, but there were some that she could actually see herself possibly wearing. The longer she looked, the more uncertain she felt. She didn't know what to pick. "I…really don't know what to wear." She said, forcing a slightly laugh.

Marla smiled delightfully. It was too perfect. She had purposely given her too many selections so it would overwhelm her. Now she could have the joy of dressing her up. It was something her younger sibling Julianne had grown to detest. She grabbed the deep crimson gown with long bell sleeves. It would hug Hikari's curves nicely and the colour alone would complement her brilliant green eyes.

Hikari didn't mind the dress all too much. The gold trim around the cuffs and neckline was a nice touch she thought. She especially liked the deep v-neck. Even though Marla had made her put on a dark blue chemise underneath, the deep v really put an emphasis on her chest.

* * *

When the water boiled, Hitomi poured Yukari and herself each a cup of tea. Yukari leaned back in her chair and held the hot cup with both hands. "Mmmm…this brings back memories…" Yukari said after taking a sip.

Hitomi stirred her tea before joining her friend at the rounded table. She sat in silence, thinking back to her early teen years; her life before Hikari and even before her whole Gaea experience. Life was simpler then.

"So what have you told everyone about Hikari?"  
Hitomi straightened up and held her mug close to her lips, inhaling the sweet sent of the tea. "I told Seiya and her teachers that she's staying with her father. I had to explain to her friend Anzu the whole truth. She was with Hikari when it happened."

"Are you going to go after her?" Hitomi held back a laugh. "I wasn't joking. So are you?"

"Yukari, if I knew how to go back I would have sixteen years ago."  
Yukari put her cup down and crossed her arms as she thought. "I wonder if we recreated the events of the first time you went-"

"It won't work." Hitomi interrupted.

"Hey! Hear me out at least!" Yukari protested.

"Hikari has the pendant remember." Yukari slouched back in her chair.

"Hmmm…what about your tarot cards. They played a role so maybe they might have the power to get you there or bring her back."

"I doubt it." Hitomi sighed.

"Well march your ass upstairs and bring them out!" Yukari stood up so that she towered over Hitomi. "You have to at least try. For Hikari's sake. She could be in serious trouble. Gaea, for all we know could have become this horrible war torn world!"

* * *

Marla sat Hikari down at her vanity and proceeded to comb the knots out of her hair. Hikari flinched at the pain. "I use to do this all the time with my sister Julianne. But she began to turn into a tomboy. She tried to disguise herself at a boy once so she could train with the knights of Cali." She giggled at the memory. "I'm afraid that Emily is heading down the same path. She's always getting herself dirty. Granted she's only five years old, but when I was her age I was never that messy."

Hikari sighed heavily. The princess was as boring as all the shallow girls from her school. _Grade-A cheerleader material_, she thought and rolled her eyes. "So…is Cadel your only brother?" Hikari asked. She had to say something to change the topic. She wasn't exactly one of those girls who liked to talk about make-up and dresses.

"I have one other brother, Trevor. He's going to be nine soon. So far Cadel hasn't had much of an influence on him yet." She put down the comb and picked up a brush. "How about you? Any siblings?"

"Just two. Taiki and Ayumi. Taiki is turning nine next month and Ayumi is five."

"That's quite the age gap you have."

Hikari tried to force a smile. "My mother had me when she was only seventeen. When she couldn't find my father she found someone else."

Marla's violet eyes brightened. "Oh intrigue!" She said with delight. "I rarely hear of stories about unwed mothers these days. Most of the women are of…" she paused to find the right words. "Low morality."

Hikari whipped her head around in disgust. "My mother is not a slut!" She shouted.

"I didn't mean your mother was!" Marla said slightly embarrassed. "Most, not all, women here who have children before they get married usually are the women who sell their bodies. I'm sorry if I offended you."

* * *

Yukari grinned as she followed Hitomi up the stairs and to the bedroom. Hitomi opened the closet and stood on her tiptoes. Her brows knitted together in frustration as she tried to find the box. "Ah-ha!" she exclaimed as her eyes landed on the small, faded red box. She grabbed the box with both hands and blew off the thick layer of dust that had collected over the years.

Hitomi carried the box over to the bed and set it down beside Yukari. She lifted the lid and smiled as memories of her youth flooded her mind. Inside the box had there were an assortment of memorabilia such as photographs, letters, old rings, a white feather and her tarot deck.

Yukari flipped through the photos and laughed like a hyena. "What the hell were we thinking?" Hitomi rolled her eyes but smiled. "Seriously! Our clothes! They were so ridiculous!"

Hitomi held her tarot cards in her hands. She could feel her body tremble slightly. Memories of the horrible visions they had given her sent a chill up her spine. All the deaths she had for seen and the tragedies she had witnessed made her stomach churn with unease. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She was no longer a young teenager. She was now a fully-grown woman who had endured many trials and tribulations and was not weak.

Quietly she began to shuffle the cards, putting her own energy into them. She took another deep breath before she drew the first card. _Ten of serpents. A burden?_ She drew another card. _Three of birds…_ she bit her lip, _heart break… _Again she drew a card, _the star…chaos and hope… _She continued in silence, drawing the cards and interpreting them.

"So how's it going?" Yukari asked, placing the old photographs back in the box.

"Because I neglected to tell Hikari of her roots…the past has caught up to us…she needs to learn…she's safe though. She's in good hands." Hitomi said, staring at the cards.

"So how do you get there?"

Cautiously she reached for the deck. _Why is my hand trembling?_ She took a deep breath and drew a card. _The…tower…_images flooded her mind. She saw herself running around the track at her old high school. It was the day of that fateful night. All the students and teachers had headed home for the night. She wanted to see him again and wasn't going to stop running until she made it back. Yukari sat on the bleachers waiting for Hitomi to get whatever it was out of her system.

Then it happened. Hitomi couldn't help but grin like there was no tomorrow. Yukari jumped to her feet and ran down to the track. "Hitomi!" She yelled.

"Yukari! I'm going back!" Hitomi shouted, her voice full of joy.

"Hitomi?" She shook her head and stared at her cards with a blank face. "What? Did you have a-" Hitomi gathered her card up and tossed them into the box. She rushed down the stairs and to the kitchen. She grabbed a piece of paper and jotted a quick note to Seiya. "What the hell Hitomi!"

She hurried past Yukari and went through the front closet. "Where are they?" she grumbled while tossing pairs of shoes out. She grinned when she found her old runners. Her smile grew she slipped them on and they still fitted perfectly.

"Seriously, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to try. No one there knows about Hikari. Even though she's in safe hands I just…I need to tell her the truth…I need to tell them all." With that said, she ran out the front door. Yukari stood wide-eyed for a moment before slipping on her flats and running after her friend.

_I need to get back…I have to get back!_ Hitomi thought with determination. Yukari struggled to keep up. _Why did I have to wear a skirt today?_

As Hitomi reached the park, she fell to her knees. She hadn't run that hard in years. When Yukari caught up, she leaned over gasping for air. "Warn…me…next…time!" she said between breaths. "What's the plan now?"

Hitomi stayed where she sat. She wished as hard as she could. She though of Gaea, the places she had been and the people she had met. She could almost smell the intoxicating scents of the strange world and she could feel the familiar warmth envelop her.

Yukari stepped backwards as she saw the brilliant white column of light descend and surround Hitomi. She smiled, happy for her friend. Then reality kicked in. She leapt into the light and grabbed Hitomi's hand. "Hitomi!"

"Tell Seiya I went to get Hikari!"

"What if you don't come back?"

"I'm sure I will! I love my children too much! I will come back!"

"Promise!" Hitomi smiled and mouthed the words _'I promise'_ before letting go of Yukari's hand.


	7. Ch 7:Long Time No See

A/N: Just want to say thanks for your patience first. I know it's been awhile and I'm truly sorry. To be honest, things got hectic here. The teachers went on strike then after that they had to compress everything; 10 weeks of classes into about 6 weeks. Was not fun. My only remaining grandparent just passed away so I wasn't in the best of moods to be writing fanfiction.

Thank you to my reviewers: Macky, Shizuka-naTenshi and tear-drowned-angel. I'm glad you're enjoying the fic so far.

Chapter 7: Long Time No See

When the light faded away, Hitomi rose to her feet and dusted off any dirt on her dark denim jeans. She was grateful she had taken the day off of work. She had learned very well that traveling Gaea in a skirt was not the greatest idea.

She placed her hands on her hips and observed her surroundings. _Where the hell did I land?_ She wondered. When her eyes caught sight of a road nearby she trusted her instinct to go follow it. At least she'd find some sort of settlement or civilization with ease.

"Now…" She looked in both directions, "Which way?" she ran a hand through her nearly shoulder length hair. "This would be a lot easier if I knew where I was…"

"You're just outside of Urthas." An old, familiar voice spoke.

Hitomi turned on her heel and smiled at the familiar face. "Rhum!" she said in a relieved tone.

"Never thought I'd see you again. Where you headed to?"

"Fanelia."

"Great!" Rhum exclaimed and howled to his hiding comrades. "We'll give you a lift."

* * *

Hitomi observed the small city in awe. Much had changed from her last visit; but that was expected. _It's been almost twenty years_, she told herself. Fanelia had completely recovered from the great Destiny war, which again wasn't too surprising.

Travelling through the city streets gave her strong sense of nostalgia. Even though seventeen years had past since she first set foot in the city, many of the building still had the same architecture. It looked the same but different.

Rhum and Hitomi parted ways after she made it into the castle with no trouble. She stood in the foyer feeling a bit nervous. She hadn't prepared or thought about what she would say. She fiddled with the rings on her finger as she waited.

"I thought Merle was pulling my leg." Hitomi turned around quickly to see a very grown up Van. He was no longer the scrawny young king she met and grew to know many years ago. His warm inviting eyes and untamable hair were the only visible features that hadn't changed. Thoughts and suppressed feelings flew freely through her mind. _Maybe this was a bad idea…_she told herself as she adverted her eyes. "What brings you back to Gaea?" He asked simply.

"I…" She looked at him and cursed herself for leaving in the first place.

Van chuckled at the fluster look on her face. "You didn't come back for me did you? It's a little too late for that-"

"No!" She said abruptly. "I figured you'd be married by now and having kids already." She paused to try and collect her thoughts. "My daughter is here on Gaea. I'm looking for her. I never got the chance or proper opportunity to tell her about this place."

"Oh…" Van said, "There haven't been any pillars of light…Perhaps she ended up Asturia."

"Damnit." Hitomi cursed under her breath. "I was so sure she'd end up here." She stopped and looked up at Van. How was she going to tell him? "Is there someplace we could speak in private?"

"Sure," he said and gestured her to follow. He held open the large wooden door to his study for her. Hitomi entered, debating with herself whether to be direct or indirect. "So what's so private?"

"Van," she said as she turned to face him. "Remember the last time I was here?"

"I'm a married man, I can't-"

"I'm not here for that!" She shouted angrily. "I took wedding vows for a reason too!" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "But you remember what we did." Van nodded, unsure of where she was going. "Well…you see…my daughter, Hikari, is a result of that." Van stood almost unfazed. Hitomi raised a brow. "Van, Hikari is your daughter."

"Are you sure?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes. You were my first and only until I got married. There was no one else. I never told her about you or Gaea. I didn't know how to approach the subject. Now she's here on Gaea because she wanted to find you, her father, so badly."

Van paced, running hand through his thick locks of hair. It was a lot to absorb in such little time. It was all unbelievable. All these years he had a daughter he never knew about.

"Van?" Hitomi said in a concerned tone.

* * *

Cadel waited somewhat patiently outside Hikari's room. _How long does it take women to get dressed?_ He wondered.

"What are you doing?" he jumped at the sound of his younger sister's voice. "She's not in there." Cadel looked down at Julianne. She certainly wasn't like his other sisters. He could only wonder if the rumors about his thirteen-year-old sister were true. No one on either side of their parents' families had such brilliant blue eyes. He could only hope they were just that; rumors and nothing more. "Marla took her captive. I pity the girl."

Cadel shook his head. "Marla did what?"

Julianne giggled at the dumbfounded look on her brother's face. "The moment the poor girl got out of the bath Marla whisked her away."

"Damnit!" he cursed and ran down the hall. He burst into his sister's living quarters. "Marla! What sorts of torture are you-!"

"Cadel! You can't see her yet!" Marla shouted, jumping in front of Hikari to block her brother's view. "We're not done!"

Cadel's brow twitched as he approached. "Let the poor girl go." He said dodging Marla's flailing arms.

"Just give me five more minutes!"

"She's bored to death!"

Hikari tried to hold back her laughter as she watched the two siblings argue and fight. Cadel was right; she was growing extremely bored. She turned to look at her reflection in the mirror and almost didn't recognize herself. She pulled out a few of the decorative hairpins. Next she grabbed the moist towel from the vanity and wiped off most of the make up.

She glanced quickly at Marla and Cadel. Their arguing was becoming more heated and intense. _Might as well make my escape_, she thought before standing up.

She walked lightly past them to the doors out. She breathed a sigh of relief when she had made it to the hallway unnoticed by either of them.

"We're bonding! Hikari, tell him how much-!" Marla's eyes went wide and her jaw hung low. "Where'd she-!" She quickly checked every one of her rooms.

"Congratulations! You lost our guest!" Cadel laughed.

She ran both hands through her hair. "Mom is going to kill me!"

"Good luck finding her!" he shouted as his sister rushed out of the room. Shortly afterwards Cadel made his leave as well. Unlike his sister, he noticed Hikari slip away. He felt pity for any soul who had to endure his twin's undivided attention.

* * *

Hikari wandered aimlessly as she had no idea how to get back to her room. Every open door she came across she checked. One room caught her attention for two reasons: it's sheer size and the realistic paintings that hung on the walls.

She entered the gallery of art and was blown away by the quality of the works. From afar any of them could have been possibly mistaken for actual photographs. She felt her heart skip a beat as she came across a collection of paintings, which included her mother as a young teenager.

She walked up to the massive group portrait to get a better look at the faces. There was a raven hair boy embracing her mother. Beside him there was a very displeased cat girl. Her head titled to the side a bit as she noticed a tall man that resembled Cadel. She could only guess that it was his father in the painting.

"Ah to be young again." An oddly familiar voice spoke, startling Hikari. She turned to see an older man dressed in a deep blue rode with a gold and blue lorum wrapped around his body. "You must be Hikari." He said, not removing his gaze from the painting. "You're mother was a most interesting woman."

"Hikari!" Marla called as she wandered the hallway.

Hikari swallowed hard and looked fearfully at the door. "There wouldn't happen to be a secret exist or something?" She asked, unable to remove her gaze.

Dryden smiled and sighed before applying some pressure onto the wall beside the painting. "Follow the stairs down. They should take you to the main foyer."

"Thank you so much!" Hikari said and hurried down the stairs.

"Dad, have you seen our guest? She decided to go for a walk but failed to tell me." She lied.

"We have a guest?" he responded dumbfounded.

* * *

Hikari closed the door to the secret passage carefully. She let out a sigh of relief as she backed away from the wall. That was close…too close for my liking…

"How do you know about that passageway?" She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Cadel's voice. She placed a hand over her racing heart and turned to face him. Cadel was in awe at the fair maiden who stood before him.

"I…I ah….I think your father showed me. Or some older guy who looks like you. I mean some guy that you look an awful lot like."

"Tall man wearing a blue robe and a sash type thing?" Hikari nodded. "That would be my father." He offered Hikari his arm to link with but she gave him a confused look. "I think I hear my sister coming, we should probably get out of here." He said with a wink.

"Really?" Hikari looked over her shoulder. "She's fast…" Cadel held back his laughter and linked arms with Hikari.


	8. Ch 8:Repeat The Please

A/N: oh my god! I updated! and it's been less than a week! -dances- I felt absolutely terrible for putting this fic on such a long hiatus. Thank you to my lovely readers; Macky and Shizuka-naTenshi(I know they're meeting was a bit coldish, but things lighten up and you have to remember, they hadn't seen each other in 16 years. It's bee na long time and they both moved on). So here's the next chapter!

Chapter 8: Repeat that Please

Yukari fidgeted in her seat at the kitchen table. She tapped her fingers on the table and watched the seconds tick by on the clock. Seiya would be home any minute. All afternoon she thought long and hard about how she would break the news to him that his wife had gone off to find Hikari.

She read over the note Hitomi had quickly scribbled and left for him. She shook her head disappointedly. It was one the pathetic side. _'Dear Seiya, I've gone to find Hikari. I don't know when I'll be back. Hitomi.'_

"Auntie Yukari…" Ayumi said and tugged on Yukari's sleeve. "When's my mommy comin home?"

She looked down at the young girl and patted her on the head. "I'm not sure. But your daddy will be home soon. Your mom, she had to go away for a bit. Work stuff." She smiled. As if on cue, Seiya walked through the front door. Ayumi smiled wide and ran down the hallway to hug her father.

"Daddy!" She squealed delightfully and hugged his leg. Seiya put down his brief case and picked up his daughter and swung her around.

"How my little girl?" he asked before putting back down.

"Auntie Kari picked us up from school today!" Ayumi said in her cheerful voice. "C'mon daddy!" She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him to the kitchen.

"Yu-Yukari?" Seiya said confused. "What are you…?"

Yukari knelt down to Ayumi's level and smiled, "Hey kiddo, why don't you go play with Taiki for a bit okay?" When Ayumi was out of sight, she looked to Seiya and told him to take a seat.

"Where's Hitomi?" Seiya asked.

"She got a little worried today about Hikari leaving. She was worried that she may not have found Van-"

"Van?" Seiya interrupted.

"Yes, Hikari's father." Yukari cocked her head to the side and looked at Seiya. "Hitomi never told you anything about him did she?" Seiya shook his head. "Wow…well, where to begin? Hitomi met Van when we were fifteen. He was rude and arrogant. Then got stuck together for a while and I guess she saw the real him." Yukari paused and tried to collect her thoughts. She couldn't very well tell Seiya the entire truth. It would take too much time to explain to him about Gaea. _And like he would believe me…_she told herself. "Any ways…they got separated for about a year, I think, and then their paths collided once again. Being more mature they uh…" she looked at Seiya and paused for am moment, "they expressed their love. They got separated afterwards. Van had important family-business-type-work-things to attend to. We tried for a long time to find him again. Hitomi called it quits after five years I think it was…and now she's happily married to you!"

* * *

"Van? Are you alright?" Hitomi asked. She noticed his face had paled a bit and he looked disoriented.

"I…" he leaned against his desk and ran a hand through his hair. It was a lot to grasp and accept.

Before either of them could say anything, the door flung open and a young girl ran in. She screamed and hid behind the large wooden desk. "Make him stop!" she cried. Van's brows knitted together and he knelt down to the girl's level.

"What did Edric do this time, Irisa?" Van asked. She peered up at him slowly with her big blue eyes, full of tears.

"he-he-he-…"tried to speak, but was obviously too upset to be able say anything. Van frowned and stood up. He could feel a headache coming on. It was always the same fight his children seemed to have. It would begin with Irisa following Edric around. Somehow it always ended with Edric saying Irisa wasn't their father's daughter. She had yet to sprout her wings.

"Edric!" he yelled. Hitomi watched the little blonde-haired child carefully. _She must be Van's daughter_, she assumed.

Irisa quickly ran from the desk to behind her father's legs. She clutched tightly onto his pant leg with one hand, while the other held onto the blue surcoat of her white, short sleeved, dress. Van crossed his arms. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his children's shenanigans.

A few short moments, a young boy appeared at the doorway. Hitomi felt her jaw fall open. This young boy was certainly the spiting image of Van. "She started it!" Edric shouted immediately and pointed at his younger sister.

"I don't care who started it. You know your sister is sensitive about them." Edric rolled his eyes. As he did, he noticed the unusually dressed woman.

"Who is she?" he asked.

"This is an old friend of mine, Hitomi." Van looked to Hitomi and forced a smile. "Hitomi, these are my children. Irisa and Edric. I'm sorry you had to see them behaving like this." Hitomi held back her laughter poorly.

"You don't have to apologize. I've had similar experiences with my own kids." She turned to Edric and smiled softly at him. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said and bowed her head slightly. She turned to Irisa and did the same.

"Daddy…is she the girl you told me about in my bedtime stories?" Irisa asked.

Van rubbed his daughter's head and smiled, "Yes, this is her." Irisa's eyes brightened and she ran up to Hitomi.

"Wow!" Irisa exclaimed. "I gotta go tell mommy!" Before Van could even move to stop her, she was already gone. He would have preferred to tell his wife about their unexpected guest first.

* * *

Hikari laid back on the soft grass, beneath an old willow tree, in one of the more secluded courtyards. A smile graced her lips as she inhaled the crisp air. Her eyes fluttered open as she heard footsteps. She turned her head quickly and was relieved when it was only Cadel. "The coast is clear." He said and sat down beside her.

"I apologize for whatever tortures my sibling made you endure." Hikari chuckled at him. He had sounded so serious and official.

"I've been through much worse." She told him and glanced at him quickly. "You two seem to be very opposite of each other…" Hikari stated as her gaze drifted to the long, winding tree branches. "She's more of the typical royal princess and you're…"

"Not you're typical prince charming, riding a white horse and dressed in the most luxurious garments." Cadel finished with a chuckle.

"Yea…"

He sighed and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "I never liked that lifestyle. My mother blames my father. He was a merchant in his younger days before he married my mother. He travelled the world numerous times." Hikari sat up and raised a brow.

"I thought royalty could only marry royalty?" She asked, "That's what I've read in books…"

"It was an arranged marriage. My father was the son of old King Aston's most trusted advisor. My parents were promised to each other when they were very young."

"Oh…So, have you been promised to anyone?" Cadel smiled and glanced at her.

"Nope. However, my parents have put restrictions on whom I can marry. She has to be of good lineage. Originally my mother wanted it to be of noble birth only but my father insisted otherwise."

"Well, on the bright side you have some freedom. You're not forced to marry someone you didn't pick." She laid back down, her smile no longer present on her lips. She didn't understand why she suddenly felt disappointed. But knowing that he was out of her reach saddened her. _What am I thinking?_ She asked herself. _I hardly know him!_ She took in a deep breath and tried to clear her mind.

* * *

Marla rushed down one of the castle corridors with a panicked look on her face. She had to find Hikari and fast. _She couldn't have gotten too far…_she told herself as she checked room after room. She twirled a lock of her hair around her finger, a nervous habit of hers.

"What's the rush?" Marla nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of her sister's voice.

"Don't ever do that again!" She yelled at Julianne, who brushed her sister's temper off as nothing.

"So? Why have you been running around like a crazy person?" she asked. "Don't tell me you lost our guest." Marla bit her lip before answering.

"I didn't lose her." She corrected quickly. "She slipped out of my room when Cadel showed up." Julianne shook her head and laughed. "What's so funny?" Marla demanded.

"Oh nothing…" she answered. "I just know where they are."

"They?" Marla questioned. "What do you mean they!"

Julianne looked up at her sister. "You really are that oblivious." She sighed before continuing. "Cadel acted as a distraction. Any sane girl would have taken the opportunity to escape. You get so easily distracted when you get into an argument-"

"I do not!" Marla shouted, interrupting Julianne.

"I was going to tell you were they were but I'd rather not now." Julianne said and turned to leave.

"Get back here!" Marla demanded.

Julianne looked over her shoulder and smiled smugly at her sister. "I'd love to help but I do believe I'm late for practice." She chuckled quietly to herself and made her way to the training complex within the castle.

* * *

Yukari sighed as she looked at a very confused Seiya. "Look, I know that you may be very confused about the whole thing but trust me, she'll come back. Now whether or not Hikari will be with her is another story…"

"You don't think she will come back?" Yukari shrugged her shoulders.

"She's a teen who never got to know her father. She may just stick around for a while." She looked down at her empty cup and hoped for the best. She tried not to think of the possibility of Hitomi not being able to return at all. It took nearly 20 years just for her to find a way there. _What if…?_ She quickly shook the thought away. _She will come back_, Yukari told herself.

* * *

"What's the Mystic Moon like?" Cadel asked, breaking the painfully long silence.

Hikari sat up right and turned to face him. She bit her lip as she tried to think of where to begin. "Well…it's more…advanced."

"Advanced? In what sense?" Cadel questioned.

"Technologically definitely. Ummmm…I guess also in gender roles. Most places on Earth men and women are equal. There are the few exceptions."

"You don't think women are equal to men here?" Cadel asked, interrupting.

"N-no…I just got the feeling. I mean, Gaea, from what I've seen, is like Earth five hundred years ago. And from the way I was treated. I got the feeling women were seen as lesser beings." Hikari explained, careful to watch her words.

"You were wearing a rather short skirt." Cadel pointed out.

Hikari folder her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes, "On Earth that's the typical length of a girl's skirt! It wasn't even that short…" Cadel paid little attention to her rant, his attention was focus on the rustling bush nearby. He slowly stood up, his hand ready to grab at his sword. "What-?" He hushed her and slowly withdrew his sword from its sheath.

"Stay put," he whispered to Hikari. "Now, show yourself." He demanded. He waited a few moments, but when no one appeared he made a cautious approach towards it.


	9. Ch 9: Uncovering

A/N: again, sorry for the long wait! I know this is going to sound like an excuse but it's the truth damnit! I've been working waaaaaaaaay more hours than I've wanted to at work. People quit before replacements could be hired. It's been crazyness! But thank you for being patient yet again with me.

Now my reviewer-shout-outs! Thank you Shizuka-naTenshi, aan, Macky, tear-drowned-angel, serenityrain2233 and Kathya

Shizuka-naTenshi: I've thought about a love triangle but I seem to be lacking a third party on Gaea for that. And Allen is just too old to be hitting on any young girls. That'd just be a bit pervy….lol!  
Serenityrain2233: I didn't purposely pick sailor moon names. I was stuck for names so I was going though a name database and those happened to be there. They sounded right for the roles. Taiki turns into Tai-chan, which sounded just too cute

Chapter 9: Uncovering

Hikari could feel her heart begin to race. What was going on? She asked herself. The bush rustled a bit and Cadel tightened his grip on his sword, ready to strike. "I ask you again, show yourself or I will-" Before he could finish speaking Emily, his youngest sister, jumped out and threw herself onto Cadel.

Cadel breathed a sigh of relief. "Emily…" he growled and clenched his fist.

"Did I scaaaaare youuuu?" She asked and looked up at her brother, fluttering her eyelashes in an innocent manner. "I'm berry sorry if I dids!" Cadell shook his head and knelt down to her level.

"You almost had me scared. Almost." He smiled and rubbed her head. She huffed and put her hands on her hips.

"Dang it!" she shouted and began to walk away. Cadel stood up and chuckled a bit.

"Sorry for worrying you." He said as he turned to face Hikari. "Emily is a little mischievous." Hikari had relaxed her muscles and let her heart return to a normal pace. Cadel looked up at the sky and took notice of the positions of the sun and two moons. "We should probably head inside. Dinner will be ready soon…"

Hikari looked at him dumbfounded. "You could tell that just by looking at the sky?"

"Yup." He replied and offered her a hand to help her up. "It'll be dusk in a couple hours and my mother always begins dinner before then." Hikari straightened the skirt of her dress and checked for any dirt. Cadel held out his arm and smiled. "Shall we?" he asked and waited for her to respond.

Hikari smiled softly and linked arms with him. _This is all so surreal…_she thought to herself. _It has to be one very bizarre dream_. She glanced up at Cadel and couldn't help but blush a bit. Never in her life did she ever imagine she'd be in a place like Gaea, in a castle no less, and befriending royalty.

* * *

Hitomi couldn't help but feel nervous as she walked with Van to meet his wife. What kind of woman would she be? What did she look like? Did she know of Van's little secret? She held back a laugh; _of course she probably knows…his children seem to any ways…_ She looked down at her rings on her fingers and played with them. She needed to distract herself.

Van paused for a moment before opening the door to the garden behind the castle. A woman dressed in a light blue, sleeveless robe peered over her shoulder. She smiled gently at Van before standing up. Irisa peeked out from behind a tree. She feared that her older brother had come to tease and torment her more.

Hitomi tilted her head slightly to the side as she tried to figure out whom this woman looked like. She had a very pale complexion, striking blue eyes and wavy blonde hair. It annoyed Hitomi to no end that she couldn't think of who this woman reminded her of.

"Hitomi, I'd like you to meet the mother of my children and my wife, Celena." Hitomi's eyes went wide. She looked at him, wondering if she had misheard him.

"I've heard many stories about you." Celena said with her gentle smile. "My brother always spoke so fondly of you."

"You-your brother?" Hitomi stammered.

"Yes," Celena said, "Allen Schezar." Hitomi's jaw hung open. She was absolutely speechless.

Dinner in the Asturian palace was anything but quiet. Marla gossiped with her mother about the latest scandal among Asturia's aristocrats. They tried to get Julianne to join in on their fun. She however didn't enjoy such things as gossip.

* * *

Emily hardly touched her food throughout dinner. She was too afraid to eat anything on the plate before her. Dillen, her other brother, teased her by insisting that what her food was something more fowl and disgusting than what it really was.

Hikari contained her laughter and simply smiled. Dillen and Emily acted much like her own siblings back home. They even appeared to look around the same age as them. Her smile slowly faded as a realization hit her. What if she was stuck on this planet? She'd never see Taiki or Ayumi again.

Millerna noticed the saddened expression on Hikari's face. "Hikari," She said in her cheerful tone to grab the young teen's attention, "So how has Hitomi, your mother, been all these years?" Millerna figured that Hikari was feeling left out in the conversation.

"She's been good I suppose…" She shifted in her seat and felt awkward. She wished she could have elaborated but she had no idea what else to say. "Ummmm…she's married and had two other kids with my step-father."

"Step-Father?" Marla repeated. "What's that?"

Hikari looked at Marla dumbfounded. "He's not_ my _father. Mom met him when I was little. I think maybe when I was four."

"Oh…so then what about _your_ father. What's he like?" Hikari couldn't believe Marla was actually asking her these questions.

"I don't know. I've never met him. My mother never really talked about him. All I know is he got her knocked up when she was still in high school."

"Oh that's terrible!" Millerna exclaimed. "What sort of man could do such a thing? Hitomi was such a lovely person. She certainly didn't deserve that." Dryden nearly choked on his food. Millerna shot him a deadly glare. He could still recall all the times Millerna had ranted about how Hitomi ruined her chances at ever being with her knight in shinning armor.

"You don't even know his name?" Cadel asked. Hikari shook her head. Her eyes slowly drifted down to the pendant around her neck. It was the only thing, other than her flesh and blood, that connected her to him.

* * *

Hitomi laid back on her bed and stared up at the canopy above her. Her thoughts were so jumbled. She hadn't felt so mental exhausted in such a long time. A smile pulled at her lips as she realized the last time she had felt that way was when she had come to Gaea the first time.

"You still shocked?" a voice spoke, breaking the silent air in the room. Hitomi jolted upright and looked in every direction.

"Who's-"

"Still jumpy are we?" From the windowsill a woman jumped into the room. When the figure stepped into the light Hitomi breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't just any woman; it wasn't exactly a woman at all.

"My Merle, you really have grown up." She said as she looked over the matured cat woman. Her long, thick, pink hair was tied back loosely. A few strands strayed from the ponytail to frame her face. She no longer donned her trademark short dress. She had traded that in long ago for something more respectful. She wore a longer, fitted, simple gown made of some animal hide.

"Sorry I couldn't greet you earlier with Lord Van. I got tied up taking care of some little rascals." She grinned and took a seat on the bed next to Hitomi. "So wow, you've really grown up yourself. What brings you back to Gaea?"

"My daughter."

"Daughter?"

"Yes, she has found her way here…I was so certain she'd end up here in Fanelia if she ever did manage to come to Gaea." Merle raised a curious brow.

"And why were you so certain about that? Just because it happened to you twice?" Hitomi stood up and walked over to the open window. She breathed in the crisp night air before attempting to explain the situation.

"Merle…you see, the last time I was here…Van and myself did something and Hikari is the result of that." Merle's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe her ears. She leapt up and grabbed Hitomi by the shoulders, turning her around to face herself.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU AND LORD VAN WERE DOING!" Hitomi squinted her eyes as Merle shouted in disbelief. "Oh my god…this is bad…"

"What? How?" Hitomi asked, feeling very confused.

"If anyone else knew about Hikari…" Merle bit her lip and turned away. "Well, I hate to say it but Hikari may not be able to return to your home with you." Hitomi's eyes went wide.

"Merle!"

Merle looked over her shoulder and gestured for Hitomi to sit back down. "You might want to keep it down." She warned. "If Lord Van is her father as you say, then she is the rightful heir to the Fanelian throne." Hitomi's mouth opened but no words came out. "Have you told anyone else about her?"

"Just Van, but why is she the…"

"According to the old texts and laws, the first born of the reigning King or Queen is to be the heir. Even if it is out of wedlock." Merle explained, calmly, and in a more quite tone.

"Well she can't stay here. She can't…"

"That's up to her to decide." Merle pointed out. Hitomi just looked in disbelief. She brought a hand to her head as a whirlwind of thoughts spun round and round in her mind. She was still trying to process the fact that Van had married Allen's younger sister. Now with the new information that Merle had given her, she felt as if her head might just explode from an information overload. "I guess I'm not too surprised that Lord Van didn't tell you about that…"

* * *

Morning seemed to come much too quickly for Hikari. She was in the middle of a deep and peaceful sleep when Marla awoke her. She opened the curtains to the large glass windows, allowing the blinding morning sun to shine in. "Good morning!" Marla exclaimed all too cheerfully. "Looks like today is going to be another beautiful day."

Hikari groaned and rolled over, hiding her head under her pillow to block out the sun. _How the hell can she be so…chipper?_

Marla sat down on the bed and pulled the pillow away. "Come on sleepy head! We haven't a moment to waste!"

"Five more minutes…." Hikari groan and pulled the blankets over her head.

Marla stood up, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "Don't take that tone with me. I have many things planned for today. So you're getting up now." Marla proceeded to yank away the blankets and drag Hikari out of bed. She managed to get Hikari as far as taking yet another bath. But that was as far as Hikari was going to let Marla get. Marla laid out the new outfit she had picked out for Hikari to wear. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Marla asked when Hikari just stood, clutching onto her bathrobe tightly.

"Well, I'm a bit…ummm…." She bit her lip and purposely looked a bit embarrassed.

"Oh, you want some privacy. I understand. I'll just be outside your room waiting." Marla said and made her way out. When the door closed, she hurried over to it and locked the door. _Where are my clothes?_ Hikari wondered and looked around the room. Her eyes brightened with delight as she spotted them folded neatly on the dresser.

She dressed herself in a hurry. Never had she been so happy to be wearing her school uniform. She headed for the door but stopped quickly. "Crap…" she breathed. She remembered that Marla would be out there waiting for her. But hope was not lost for Hikari. She made her way out onto the balcony and looked for a way out. She looked down and decided quickly that it was going to be an option. She may have been desperate to get out, but jumping into the river cannel was worth it.

An idea quickly came to mind as she spotted a ledge that lead off from the balcony. She didn't think twice before climbing onto it and slowly making her way to the next balcony. She felt a great sense of relief when she made it to the next balcony.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise." Hikari nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of the familiar voice. "I just wish every morning I could wake up to find a lovely young creature on my balcony waiting for me." Cadel said as he walked out onto the balcony to meet with Hikari

"I was just trying to escape from your sister Marla." She explained quickly. "She wanted to dress me up again." Cadel let out a chuckle.

"Well you needn't worry about Marla. She's fairly harmless and an easy push over." He reassured her and headed back into his room. He was midway through dressing himself when he had heard someone on his balcony. He picked up the loose, white blouse lying on his bed and finished dressing himself. Hikari could feel her cheeks being to heat up and blush. Cadel most certainly had an exquisite body. He was not an eyesore in anyway.

* * *

Julianne made her way to the city's grand coliseum to train her skills in the art of the sword. She had told her mother she was heading down to the bazaar, escorted of course, to perhaps find a new outfit. She knew if her mother knew what she was really doing, she would have sent her away to the convent to be taught how to be a proper young lady. The first time Julianne had been caught training with the palace guards, her mother nearly packed her things and sent her off.

According to her mother, the sword is a tool of men; women have no use for it. Julianne couldn't control herself however. Holding a sword felt natural and right to her. She felt free almost. It was an outlet for her frustrations.

When Julianne was certain no one had seen her enter the coliseum, she removed the heavy, hooded, purple cloak. She made sure all her armor was taut. When she was certain everything was in place and perfect, she made her way to the battleground where the Knights of Cali were already training. They all knew who she was but respected her request to not treat her as Princess Julianne Marie Aston-Fassa.

She unsheathed her sword and gripped the hilt tightly as she made her way over to the training knights.


	10. Ch 10:Rush

A/N: First, thank you to aan, anas-belonging, Macky, serenityrain2233, SnTAngel-Shizuka-naTenshi, and lifluvanime for your reveiws

* * *

Chapter 10: Rush

When morning came to the Fanelian castle, Hitomi was wide-awake. She couldn't get over her conversation with Merle from the previous night. She had to find Hikari and fast. Her stomach knotted at the thought of forever being separated from her daughter.

She pushed away the blankets and tossed her legs over the side of the bed. She would have to take the day one step at a time. First, she needed to get dressed and make herself presentable. Next she needed to find Van and discuss the Hikari issue in more detail. She was very annoyed with the fact he had left that little tidbit about Hikari being the rightful heir to his throne.

_What on Earth was he thinking?_ She wondered. She ran a frustrated hand through her hair and moved onto step two: getting dressed. She quickly noticed her clothes had gone missing and a new set had been laid out on the sofa in her room. She walked over and examined the clothes, curious as to what they had picked out for her to wear. She could only hope that Merle wasn't the one who had chosen her clothing. Short leather dresses weren't her forte.

As luck would have it, her outfit was quite modest. A simple deep green, sleeveless robe that resembled a kimono she had once wore in her youth. She carefully wrapped the silk, white sash around her waist and tied as best she could an Anesan bow. It didn't have the same look as a traditional Anesan bow, but then again, she had only so much fabric to work with.

_Now for step three…_she told herself, _find Van_.

* * *

Cadel grabbed onto Hikari's wrist and led her out into the empty corridor. "What are you-?" he looked over his shoulder and grinned then put a finger to his lips. Hikari raised a brow, very confused.

He pulled her around a corner and through a hidden passageway. The Asturian castle was full of them and Cadel had them all memorized. He found they came in quite handy, especially when dodging Marla and her simple-minded court.

Hikari, feeling a bit fed up with not being in the know, yanked her hand out of his grasp. "Okay, seriously, where are you taking me?"

Cadel looked deep in thought. He hadn't really decided that yet. All he wanted was to get out of the castle. He could also sense that Hikari wanted to avoid is twin. _Not surprising_, he thought. "Somewhere," he answered simply.

"Where? Or do you not even know?" Cadel grinned and took hold of her hand. "You don't have any idea?" Hikari sighed and allowed him to pull her along.

"Well, would you rather stay here with Marla? I heard she was hosting her court today."

"C-court?" she asked alarmed.

"Friends. They're all like her. Ditzy, shallow you get the picture." He came to a stop when they came to what appeared to be a dead end. Cadel pressed his ear against the brick wall, closed his eyes and listened carefully. After a few moments he backed away and slowly began to pull at the wall by grabbing a hold onto to a small brick that stuck out. As he pulled, the wall began to move to reveal the outside world.

Cadel stuck his head out of the opening and made sure the coast was clear. "Good…" he breathed. He looked over his shoulder at Hikari, shot her one of his charming grins and gestured for her to follow.

Cadel escorted Hikari around Palas, showing her everything there was to see. He found all her reactions to the sights and people to be quite amusing. Particularly when they had come across a few of the beast-people that inhabited the thriving/bustling city. She had nearly jumped out of her own skin.

He brought their little tour to an end when they had reached the Royal Coliseum. They entered the grand arena and made their way over to the battlegrounds. Cadel scanned the area carefully with his eyes. "Looks like Julianne went home already..."he mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Hikari asked. She had been so entranced by the men sparring in such a graceful manner before her to pay much attention to what Cadel had just said.

"Oh! Nothing!" he laughed nervously. "Julianne sometimes comes her to...watch the Knights of Cali." He half lied. He wasn't sure why he hadn't just told her the truth. What was there to hide really? Hikari wasn't from Gaea, it's not like she would spread rumors or anything of the sort.

"Your highness," One of the knights spoke as he approached the two. He bowed lowly towards Cadel, showing his deepest respect his possible future monarch. "What brings you here today?"

"No particular reason, Kennin." Cadel spoke so casually that it almost confused Hikari. In all the movies, books and plays she had read or seen, royalty tended to speak in a more formal manner, But Cadel, a prince, conversed with everyone the same way she would with her friends. "I'm just showing our guest, Lady Hikari, around Palas. It's her first time here."

_Did he just call me "Lady Hikari"?_ She tried to hide her look of surprise. It sounded so odd, she mused, _Lady Hikari...weird..._

"Ah, well on behalf of the Knights of Cali," Kennin knelt down on one knee, placed a hand over his heart and bowed his head. "Welcome to Palas, Lady Hikari." Cadel let out a laugh. It always amused him to see Kennin act so _proper_. Kennin ignored his prince's laughter and stood up, dusting off the pants in the process. "So where abouts are you from, Lady Hikari?"

Her mouth hung open, but no words came forth. She had been warned before hand not to tell others of her true origins. But what was she to say then? Cadel thought quickly and answered for her. "She's from the Nicolette Academy."

"Oh! Well welcome once again, My Lady. It's truly an honor to meet you." he bowed once more and excused himself, leaving the two alone once more.

"Nicolette Academy? What's that?" Hikari asked.

"A prestigious, all girls academy located in the Chessia Mountains. Girls are brought there at a young age and stay until they graduate. Occasionally they're allowed to leave the premises, but only to visit family. The girls who attend the academy are usually of nobility or of aristocratic families.

"My mother tried to send my sisters there. It didn't work out so well. Marla got homesick too much, although I believe she just missed the shopping sprees. Julianne always managed to escape and end up back at home. Any ways, shall we continue?" he held out his arm and waited for Hikari to link arms with him. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

He led her past some of the knights engaging in sparring with one another. He came to a halt when they had come across the captain of the Knights of Cali: a tall, statuesque figure with long golden locks of hair. Cadel cleared his throat loudly to catch the knight's attention.

The knight sheathed his sword and turned around. "Your highness, why have you left the castle unescorted?" he asked. "Your mother wouldn't be too happy is she knew you were wandering around alone, without any sort of protection."

"Ah, but Sir Allen, I'm technically not alone." Cadel smiled smugly and gently nudged Hikari forward. "I'd like to introduce you to Lady Hikari Kanzaki."

Allen froze. "Kan-Kanzaki? Are…you…."words were beginning to fail him. That name, Kanzaki, he hadn't heard it in years.

"I take it you knew my mother." Hikari stated.

He was in complete and utter shock. Her eyes had the same brilliance as Hitomi's. "Mother? So then you're Hitomi's…."

"Daughter? Yes she is, Sir Allen." Cadel said. He was quite surprised by the normally suave knight. He'd never seen him so caught off guard in his life.

Allen bowed deeply towards Hikari. "You have most certainly inherited your mother's beauty." Hikari found herself blushing profusely at Allen's remark. _For an 'older' man, he's not bad looking… _she thought to herself. "But how? When…did you get here?"

Hikari thought for a moment, curling a lock of her ebony hair around one of her fingers as she did so. "I suppose…it would have been two nights ago…I don't really know how…it just sort of happened."

* * *

Hitomi had wandered around the Fanelian castle, for what seemed like hours, searching for Van. It seemed like no one could find the king. This only further annoyed Hitomi. Was he purposely hiding from her? "Van, where the hell are you?" she wondered aloud.

"You never change." Merle said with a sigh, "Still talking to yourself."

"Have you seen Van?" Hitomi asked, ignoring the cat woman's remark.

"He left the castle early this morning. He said something about looking for Hikari." Hitomi felt a bit of relief. "He said he probably wouldn't be back until sun set."

"Damnit." Hitomi cursed under her breath.

"What?"

"Oh nothing…I just need to talk to him about Hikari. We didn't get much of a chance to last night." She crossed her arms and walked over to the window. She looked up at the sky and sighed quietly. Then a thought hit her hard. "Wait a minute!" She whiled around and looked at merle very confused. "What the hell was he thinking!? He has no idea what Hikari looks like. How the hell can he expect to find her? God he can be such and idiot." She brought a hand to one of her temples and began to message it. "He really hasn't changed much. Still jumping ahead without thinking first."

Merle couldn't help but laugh. It was too true. "Well, how about we get out of the castle for a bit." She suggested. "Unless you want to become a victim of Edric and Irisa's mischief."

* * *

Cadel and Hikari stood before the gateway to the castle. Cadel already knew what awaited him inside. His mother scolding him for not only leaving, but he neglected to inform anyone and had left without taking a guard with him. 

Hesitantly he entered. He wasn't necessarily afraid of what was to come. He was actually quite use to it. He just wasn't looking forward to hearing the same speech from his mother for the hundredth time.

As they made their way into the main foyer, Cadel was mentally preparing himself. However, the scolding and nagging ambush wouldn't be what greeted him. "Cadel! Hikari! Good, you're back." His mother said while smiling. "Now hurry to your rooms and change. We have a special guest for dinner tonight." And with that said, Millerna hurried away.

"Wha…?" Cadel watched his mother disappear down the hallway. She didn't get mad? Even with having a guest, normally she would have been more angry with him. Something strange was going on.

"You going to be okay?" Hikari asked, waving her hand in front of his stunned looking face. "Hello?"

Cadel snapped back to his senses. "Uh…yea…that was just…odd…" He tried to recompose himself. "C'mon, let's go."

On their way to their rooms Marla ambushed the two. She was shocked and appalled with her brother for escorting their guest around the city while she was clearly not properly dressed. Before either of them could react in any ways, Marla stole Hikari away.

"I do apologize for my brother. He sometimes doesn't know any better."

"Oh, no need to apologize, really." Hikari said nervously.

"Of course I do. He forced you to go out dressed like that." She made a slight gesture to Hikari's school uniform. Such a short skirt…if you can even call it that… "No doubt you were embarrassed."

"Actually-"

"Oh well, what's done is done. Now come, I found the perfect dress for you to wear tonight." Hikari couldn't get a word in. Marla spoke a mile a minute and seemed to have perfected the art of controlling a conversation.

Marla entered her vast closet and emerged just as quickly, dress in hand. "Here we go," she said and handed the dress to one of her handmaidens. "This is Anita and Marie. They will help you get dressed." And with that said, she headed out of her room. "I'll just be in the next room if you need anything."

"I…"Hikari was lost for words. The moment the doors closed began undressing Hikari and dressing her in _proper_ undergarments. Hikari took and instant disliking to the corset. It wasn't just a pain to put on, it was also quite possibly the most uncomfortable thing to wear.

The dress, Hikari had to admit, was beautiful. It was a deep green colour with golden embroidery. The sleeves fitted snug on her arms until they reached her elbows, where they flowed into large bell shaped cuffs. Hikari was most grateful that the dress wasn't like some of the gowns she had seen in the marketplace earlier that day; large and puffy.

As Marie made slight adjustments to the gown, Anita focused on Hikari's hair. She had tried to pull it back tightly, as per Marla's instructions, but Hikari made a fuss to get her to stop. It felt as if Anita was going to rip her hair out. She very reluctantly obliged, knowing that Marla wouldn't be too happy.

As Hikari neared the end of her torture session, Marla entered to see how things were progressing. She was dressed in a similar style gown as Hikari. However hers was lavender in colour and had similar golden embroidery. "Anita, why isn't her hair tied up?" she asked.

"It was too painful." Hikari answered quickly, to save the maid from any sort of blame.

"Oh…well, I guess that will have to do." She walked over to her vanity and picked up a jeweled hair clip. She played with Hikari's hair for a moment before placing the clip in it. "There we go." She said and smiled. "We should hurry, dinner will be ready very shortly and we mustn't make our guest wait too much."

* * *

A/N: Sooooooooo sorry for the long wait. Really I am. I had some major writer's block. plus with me being in my final yr in college, it's a hellofalot more stressful 


	11. Ch 11:Presenting

A/N: First and foremost, I'd like to apologize for the long overdue update. I realize I have seriously neglected this fic. There are reasons however. And they aren't excuses :P They are legit reasons. The big reason was college. Oh my god I am so glad I'm DONE with college! This last semester nearly killed me! Nearly failed two courses ; that would have been really bad and hard to explain to my parents --;;; So it was super stressful. I basically had no life other than school which totally sucked.

Any ways, onto the thank yous!!!! Thank You to tear-drowned-angel, serenityrain2233, rIOko, aan, Nina225, Ice Everlasting, Mizz.Smilez., and kun-chan for the lovely reviews you guys are awesome!

Now for responses! weeee!!!!

tear-drowned-angel: please don't send your stupid, drunken, lazy, usless minions after me oo I'll try to update more frequently. And you'll just have to read to find out who the guest is it is revealed in this chapter. Although I could have been super evil and made you all wait one more chapter evil laugh

Nina225: No I'm not dropping this fic. 've fallen in love with this plot/idea. I've always wanted to try it and now that I've tested the waters with it, I'm gonna stick with it! I was actually kinda nervous to post it initally b/c through my own experience, I've noticed some fans just aren't willing to try reading something new or different like this. There's far too many V/H fans out there sighs

Now, without further ado, here is chapter 11!!!!!

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Chapter 11: Presenting…

Marla, with her hand firmly holding onto Hikari's wrist, hurried down the grand staircase. Hikari tried her best not to fall . _How the hell can she run down stairs like that!? And in heels no less!?_ She wondered. As they reached the bottom of the stairs Hikari had to ask, "Who is this special guest exactly? Is there anything I should know, like how to act? I-"

"Oh don't worry Hikari!" Marla said and gave her a reassuring look. "You wont be frowned upon. He's…well, according to my father's stories about him, he's quite casual. Hates big formal gatherings. When he does attend one it's only because his wife had to force him." She giggled and led the way down the hallway.

"You still haven't really answered my question…" Hikari pointed out.

"Oh, right, sorry." Marla apologized, "He's an old friend of my parents-"

"Oh quit boring her with your stories, Marla." Cadel interrupted and took the opportunity to free Hikari from his sister's merciless hands. In his typical suave way, he gently pulled her away and to his side. Before either girl could even react he had his arm linked with Hikari's, who couldn't seem to stop herself from blushing.

"What do you think you're doing Cadel!?" Marla demanded.

"Mom wants you to go fetch Emily. She should be terrorizing the maids in the kitchen." Cadel said and began to walk Hikari toward the dinning hall. "I hope Marla didn't put you through too much torture."

Hikari forced a laugh. "Oh not anymore than normal," she joked. Cadel glanced down at Hikari and took a better look at her. As much as he found Marla to be a pest, she did know how to make a woman look like a goddess.

"You look absolutely stunning." He told her, which only made her cheeks burn a brighter red.

"Ah…um…th-thank you…"she managed to say. She knew she had to regain her nerve and confidence. At this rate, if he were to give her another complement like that she feared her knees would give out on her, as they would turn to jelly. "So, um, who is this guest?"

"A king."

"Just a _king_? Does he have a name?" Hikari was starting to grow suspicious. _Why all the secrets?_

"Yes, he is King Van Slanzar de Fanel, the reigning king of Fanelia." As they approached the grand doors to the dinning hall, the two soldiers who stood on guard opened the doors for them. The dinning hall was vastly transformed from the previous night. Deep red and gold tapestries hung along the walls. They each featured a elegant and detailed embroidery of a gold dragon.

Everyone was present in the room, awaiting Hikari's arrival. Well, almost everyone. Excluding themselves, Marla was the only one missing. Hikari quickly glanced at Cadel suspiciously. "I thought you told Marla that Emily was in the kitchen?" she asked him in a whisper. Emily was already seated at the table.

"Did I?" he replied, acting innocent. "My eyes must be failing me." He chuckled and escorted her over towards her seat.

* * *

As it neared sunset, and dinnertime, Merle and Hitomi made their way back to the Fanelian Castle. But much to their surprise, Van still had not returned. It only made Hitomi feel more anxious and worried. Merle reassured her that things would be all right.

They headed to Hitomi's temporary living quarters in the castle where they could relax for a bit. They had practically walked and explored every inch of the city. Much of the city had changed, but that was expected. The last time Hitomi had been in Fanelia, it was still under heavy construction. According to Merle, it took nearly five years for all the construction to be completed.

While Hitomi changed out of her borrowed clothes and into some of the new ones Merle had graciously offered to buy for her, Merle spoke to the maids and had them serve dinner to them in Hitomi's room.

Hitomi entered the Solar wearing an emerald green kirtle over a golden yellow chemise. She went and sat across from Merle at the small, round table set for two. "You didn't have to do this Merle."

"I know, but figured you'd want to talk."

"Talk? About what?"

Merle raised a brow. "I'm not an idiot Hitomi. I've known since you first found out who Van married. You want to know how they ended up together."

Hitomi laughed nervously, "What would give that impression?" Merle crossed her arms and gave Hitomi as knowing look. Am I that transparent? "Well…okay so maybe you're right. I mean she did use to be…Van's enemy…"

"To be honest, Lord Van was crushed when you left and never came back. It took him a long time to move on. Allen had approached Van about marrying his sister many times afterwards. It seemed like people in Asturia couldn't forget or get over who Celena use to be. I kind of felt sorry for her. The people treated her like she was some sort of diseased monster.

"Lord Van began to visit her and spend time with her. Don't ask me how he ever got over the whole thing about her past. But he did and well, here we are."

* * *

Millerna smiled as her eyes caught sight of Hikari entering the hall. She didn't wait long to wave her son and Hikari over to where she stood. "That dress looks lovely on you, Hikari." She commented. "I'd like you to meet someone." She glanced over at Dryden, who was still deep in conversation with Van. "Boys," she said, gaining their attention. They ceased their talk and made their way over to Millerna. "Van, I'd like you to meet Hikari Kanzaki."

Van looked at the young girl, eyes full of wonder. This was her. The resemblance to Hitomi was stunning. He was quite literally speechless. "Hikari, this is King Van Fanel of Fanelia. I believe Marla and Cadel have told you about him."

"Sorta." Hikari replied quietly. "Uh, it's a pleasure to meet you." She added, unsure of what she was supposed to do. _Should I curtsey? Maybe a handshake?_ She glanced quickly to Cadel for some sort of sign or signal. She bit her lip out of frustration and decided to give a small curtsey.

"Cadel!" Marla shouted as she entered the dinning hall. She marched over to her twin, fists clenched tightly. "How dare you!"

Cadel looked at her dumbfounded. "How dare I what?" he asked innocently. "Please dear sister, what is it I have done?"

Marla's brow twitched. She hated when her brother played his mind games with her. He knew perfectly well how to get her riled up. "Mother," she turned and looked pleadingly at Millerna, "Cadel, he-" Millerna brought a hand up to her temple and began to massage it as her eldest daughter went on about Cadel's trickery. It was always the same story.

"Marla, Cadel, now is not the time for this." She gave them a stern look. A look they had come to know and understand well. Cadel shrugged it off, as per usual. Marla let out a frustrated huff and turned on her heel, heading over to the table. Millerna smiled with relief as one of the maids approached, informing her that the food was ready. "Shall we begin then?" She gestured to the table and waited until everyone was seated.

Dinner went by smoothly. Hikari was glad that she was no longer in the spotlight. She could finally relax and not have to answer any more awkward questions about her family. It still shocked her that Marla couldn't grasp the concept of married couple getting divorced.

All focus had been shifted to their new guest, Van. Dryden lectured him relentless on his lack of visiting. To which he retaliated with turning the tables, asking why he hadn't visited Fanelia. The two royals sparred until Millerna decided enough was enough. Their arguing was going nowhere.

"So, Van, what exactly brings you here to Palas so unannounced?" Millerna asked, interrupting them.

Van shifted uncomfortably in his seat, searching for the right words. He hadn't exactly thought this far ahead. His initial plan was to simply speak in private to Dryden and Millerna about the situation. However, he didn't foresee Millerna suddenly jump in and invite him to stay for dinner and spend the night.

"Well…" he ran a nervous hand through her thick hair as he tried to come up with an explanation. "I came here…to inform you that…Hitomi has returned." He let out a much-needed breath. He felt somewhat relieved. It was out, however, he knew more question would arise. Questions he knew he either couldn't answer or wouldn't want to answer.

Millerna's eyes went wide. "Hitomi? As in Hitomi from the Mystic Moon!?" Van forced a smile and nodded. "Oh my…" She leaned back in her seat, stunned. "Why didn't you bring her along?"

Hikari felt a whirlwind of emotions flow through her. First she felt shocked. Her mother had managed to follow her to this strange world. A feeling of relief quickly followed that. Someone she knew was here! However, that was followed by a feeling of outrage. Her mother was probably her to scold her some more. She clenched her hands together tightly in an attempt to mask her anger.

Hikari kept her eyes downcast and focus on her half empty plate. She didn't want to be angry right then and there. She wasn't one for wanting to create such a scene.

"Isn't this amazing Hikari?" Marla said, her face aglow. "Your mother, the woman who helped save our very world, has returned!"

Hikari glanced up at the beaming princess and forced a smile. "Sure…it's fantastic…" her eyes quickly returned to her plate, still half empty. Her appetite had completely left her by this point. Her head began to throb as an unwanted headache began.

Cadel raised a brow as he watched Hikari. Something was bothering her. To his surprise, no one else seemed to notice. She bit down hard on her lower lip and closed her eyes. Her eyebrows knitted together as she tried to ignore the pain; the pain in her head and the unusual pain in her back. She drew in a deep breath and slipped away from the table.

Cadel opened his mouth to say something but let it close instead. Everyone was far to engrossed in their conversation about the heroine from the Mystic Moon. He followed Hikari and slipped away from the table.

He wandered through the _hallways in search of Hikari. She couldn't have gotten far_, he told himself and continued his search. "Hikari?" he called as he rounded another corner.

He eventually came to find her in one of the courtyards. She sat at the edge of the large fountain, staring into the calm waters. He made his approach slow, so not to startle her too much. As he drew near, he cleared his through to get her attention. She glanced up at him for moment, before returning to look at the water.

"Are you okay?" He asked, seating himself down beside her. She drew in a deep breath and shook her head. "What's the matter then?"

"I…" she brought her hands up to her temples, massaging them. "I'm just so angry at her." She said in a bitter tone.

"Who?"

"My mother!" she spat out. "She…she came all this way, to another world to find me, yet she doesn't even have the nerve to come and face me! She sends some guy to come retrieve me. Am I a lost pet in her mind? Am I even a daughter to her anymore? Or just one big disappointment?" she drew in a sharp breath and held back her tears. The pain wasn't receding; it was only increasing in its intensity. _What the hell is wrong with me!? _Her mind screamed.

Cadel placed his hand on her back, rubbing it gently to calm her. "I think maybe the situation is a little more complex. I'm sure she probably wanted to come find you herself. But Gaea isn't like your world. I can only assume traveling is much easier in your world than it is here." Hikari looked at him, a few tears spilling down her cheeks. "From what I can recall of my mother's stories, his highness King Fanel can fly his guymelef, the Escaflowne, to just about anywhere in Gaea in a short amount of time. It's probable that he simply couldn't take your mother with him in search of you."

Hikari nodded her head slowly as she took in the information he offered her. "Maybe I was just jumping to conclusions…but…"


End file.
